The Thaw
by Starstorm0m394
Summary: The spring is here, and Elsa and Anna are getting ready to celebrate Anna's engagement to Kristoff. But, bad news interrupts their happiness, only to find Elsa questioning herself more than ever before. Was originally a short story. (It's over and done and I DGAF if it's corny it's FANFICTION, people take this waaayyy too seriously. No fun allowed apparently. Peace out!)
1. Chapter 1

The Thaw

The coming spring was more than just a return of the flora and fauna, more than just the melting of the mountain snow… To Anna, this particular spring would be a rebirth for her whole life, along with the rebirth of her country. Taking in a deep breath, she smiled as she joyfully waltzed through the castle, swinging open every window she found. Not noticing at all the slight dust starting to collect on the edge of her brand new, feathery soft yellow gown. Stealing flowers from every vase and silently decorating her hair she danced from room to room, decorating the picture frames. And the maid's apron. And maybe the candle sticks could use some more color… Noticing the growing music coming from downstairs, her waltz turned into a tango of running quickly, but awkwardly doing her best to not trip. Her cheeks began to burn as she watched the flurry of activity in the foyer, people carrying an assortment of food, furniture, and gifts. As much as she adored parties, this particular one… was very extra special.

"Good morning, you look beautiful." A soft voice echoed above her. Slightly startled, Anna looked over her shoulder, and gasped happily at the sight of her sister.

"Elsa! Good morning!" she threw her arms around her, immediately remembering how it usually makes the queen uncomfortable to be embraced dramatically. She blushed as she pulled back and bowed in respect. "Your majesty." She laughed. "Thank you so much... You look beautiful as well, as always." She beamed, as they slowly made their way down the spiraling staircase. Elsa's smile was warmer than usual too… She giggled. "I'd say that maybe you're glowing."

"Me, glow?" Elsa laughed in disbelief. "Could it just be that I'm happy that my sister is growing up?" As they reached the floor, Elsa did something even more unusual. She wrapped her warms around Anna, and embraced her completely. "Today, we celebrate your engagement… And soon…" she pulled away, her eyes locking into her little sister's, her palms gripping her shoulders. "You'll be wedded." Anna gasped and immediately turned redder than her braided hair. She clapped her hands and spun in place.

"Yeah! I know! Isn't this just, the BEST!?" she sang, throwing her hands up in the air. "Best spring ever!" Elsa laughed and held her hands up, covering her mouth, doing her best to hold back. Anna just then realizing that, not only was her normally cold sister wasn't just… warmer in appearance, and in her laugh… But she was even wearing a completely new color gown. It wasn't blue at all! She gasped. "Your dress, Elsa, wow…!" They stopped laughing as Elsa stepped back, eyes widening, looking down at her gown and holding out her arms.

"What?" Do I look awful?" she looked at Anna in horror, the color flowing out of her cheeks.

"No! That's.. not it at all!" Anna held her sister's hand, and gently coaxed her out into the early morning sunlight. "I mean... Just, look at you! You're not just beautiful, you're… Gorgeous! Who knew pink was your color." Anna smiled eared to ear, sighing as Elsa blushed and looked back down at what she was wearing. A simply, flowing soft pink gown with a medium train… embroidered in small floral detail. Different shades of pink were woven into her braid, which hung gently on her back, covering what the dress didn't.

"…You, really like it? Really?" she laughed nervously, holding her elbow one hand.

"Is it new?" Anna picked up the train and studied it closely. "Ooh, so pretty." Her eyes widened. Elsa smirked and pulled it back from her fingers.

"Actually... " she sighed, " This was mothers." Anna stepped back again. "Today was really, special, to you, and Kristoff, and… The country. And the world." Elsa gulped. "I wasn't sure… Exactly, what do wear, or do, or even… Say on your engagement celebration… But most importantly, I wanted to do… Whatever I could to make you smile, because… I know mother wants us to smile, together." Anna quickly threw her arms back around her queen and silent tears were shared between them, not caring who saw.

"I love you so much Elsa." Anna smiled, wiping away her tears, only slightly smearing her eye makeup. Elsa smiled back and tried to wipe away the tiny line the tear left.

"And I love you so much too, my dear Anna." She sighed happily. They shared a few minutes of silence, smiling endlessly at each other, glowing in the happy spring sun, enjoying every precious second of that happiness. They all have come so far, so fast, in the past four years that had conspired since the storm. Of course there was friction, there comes so much responsibility of ruling an entire country by yourself, and at the same time, there was so much joy to share throughout the land, and in their hearts. Elsa was more than happy to change the laws to allow Anna to have her biggest wish granted, to marry the man she truly loved. And she had all the faith in the world that they would have a bright and happy future. Giving them her blessing was the greatest gift she could give. But, their moment was ended abruptly by the sounds of storming solider footsteps in the palace.

"Your majesty, I'm so sorry to interrupt." A solider ran right between them, breathing heavily, holding several heavy envelops. Others were right behind them, all bowing before their majesty and the princess. "There is… Terrible news. I apologize for these messages on such an glorious day my majesties." Tears welled in his eyes and he kneeled. The rest followed suit, and the flurry of noise turned into a painful stillness.

"Terrible… News?" Anna's smiled vanished, her heart sinking into her stomach." What happened!? Where's Kristoff!" she demanded. Elsa quickly ripped open the biggest seal of the biggest letter and began to read, stepped back into the shadow from the doorway.

"My princess, please, Kristoff is fine." Anna frowned.

"I demand for one of you to send word to him, bring him to us at once." Elsa meanwhile read slower and slower, her hands lowering and dropping a letter to the ground, unable to hold so many.

"Also send for all our military leaders. I need a council immediately." Elsa shouted. People began to scatter in fear.

"Elsa?" Anna rushed over and held her hands tightly to her chest. "What's the matter, what happened?"

"None… of our ships from the southern lands have returned. Many supplies have been, lost…. Many men…. May be lost, or worse… be dead…" Their hearts now sat like lumps in their throats. "Anna…" Anna reached for her hands as papers fell to the floor. Elsa looked deeply into Anna, seeing the tears forming in her eyes, many tears for many reasons, and all for reasons she understood and wanted to fix. "Anna do not stop the plans for today."

"Elsa…"

"I mean it. Today is yours, and Kristoff's day. There's nothing you can do at the moment, I will take care of everything. I know it's not what you wanted-"

"Elsa, it's just a party! The lives of our people mean so much more to me than that…" Elsa sighed deeply. She really has grown so much. Her sister never ceased to amaze her and that made her love her even more ever day.

"I know, but you two deserve so much more happiness than I have to give… You deserve, so much more because... of what I've done in the past. I need for you to have a happy day. The people here, need you to be strong, and be happy, and pray for those who may be lost. Be happy for them and their families. This isn't all about our family alone. Please be the love the people need for today. And as Queen, I will do my duty to make sure we will all be safe, and no war will come to our doors."

"Elsa…" Anna sighed. They embraced deeply once more.

"Go my sister; find Kristoff, go to him and together you two will make today a beautiful day for Arendelle." Anna let go hesitantly.

"I love you!"

"I love you too." Elsa smiled, and waved slowly as Anna stepped quickly out the door and into the sun, looking over the shoulder every step and nearly falling down the stairs. Elsa took a breath her false smile faded. Hands began to surround her with papers. Shouts came from every hallway. The darkness slowly crawled back and the color vanished from her face. War they shouted. We must stop all war, we must have peace a man screamed. Sweaty gloved hands slammed the heavy table, doors slammed. So many voices telling her what to do, how to feel, what to say. Standing quickly, she pushed back her chair.

"SILENCE!" Elsa bellowed. A hush fell upon the heads of many men, all quietly sitting back in their chairs, all eyes weary and stared at her every action. She composed herself, and thawed the ice that erupted from her hands and on her chair. "Ahem…" she coughed.

"Clearly the erupting war of the southern countries isn't ending anytime soon. And we are all on the same page that we haven't had any supplies return to our ports in over a month. The situation is getting drastic. And we need to decide-"

"Go to war and end this debacle so our people will not STARVE come winter!"

"NO, absolutely not, we do not have the men or the resources to outlast a drawn-out conflict, we will STARVE AND KILL MORE MEN IF WE GO TO WAR."

"GENTLEMEN. PLEASE." Elsa shouted, throwing her hand into the air and sending a swirling cloud of frost into the ceiling, immediately causing the room to fill with snow. As the men sat back down, brushing the white flakes off their mustaches and fancy shoulder pads… Elsa walked around the table.

"We are not going to war. However… Unless we do something to aide out navel exchanges, we are going to have to… reach out for diplomatic aide. There has to be a country strong enough hold back the enemy forces and allowing us to receive our shipments. We have to ask for protection… When we send out aide to those who are lost. The more we sit here arguing like fools, the longer time passes, the less of a chance there is of getting our lost ones back home. "As she returned to her chair, the small snow flurry had disappeared. Her control over her powers was nearly complete. She just liked to, persuade such an angry council in unique ways once things got out of control.

"And what aide is there, exactly your majesty?" a voice came with heavy doubt sitting opposite of her. Elsa sighed again… Her heart now aching more than it was before. She had received, one interesting letter, amongst the pile she received that morning. One from a country she hoped to have never had to hear from again.

"This is not an easy choice for me to make. But gentlemen, there is no other choice. I have made up my mind."

"…Your majesty, you can't possibly be considering what I think you're considering…." The men in the room began to grown and hide their faces in their hands.

"Please, you and I all know that I'm terribly afraid… their country is the only one right now that not only is in the depths of war, but also has a the navel strength large enough to provide an escort through the enemy blockade. This is the ONLY way for us to stay out of conflict, and at the same time, save the lives of thousands." The silence was thicker than the chocolate mousse she was missing out on at the party.

"The Queen of Arendelle has been requested for audience by the King of the Southern Isles." All the men groaned loudly and mumbled in anger to themselves as they were excused. And all Elsa could do was look out the open windows as she slowly walked into the great hall… The music of love and laughter filling in the silence.

"If only there was a King of Arendelle that could get us out of this mess" a voiced echoed in another room, around the corner from the corridor Elsa was pacing in.

"Your thoughts exactly my friend, it's no surprise to us that we have a Queen on her own, but tell that to a country with hundreds of thousands of soldiers knocking at your door. We have faith in her strength, but the whole world has not seen the fury of our Ice Queen. We are no threat to them. And she does not have anyone to back her."

"The world laughs at a kingdom that allows the princess to marry before the queen. I do not blame her for her sudden weakness."

Elsa was too hurt by the words to even move. She just stood in the shadow as the voices of the men laughed, and faded as they exited the wing, completely unaware of their queen's eavesdropping. She had clearly been WAY to easy on those fools she thought to herself. She clenched her fists in anger, but she bit her lower lip. A part of her believing in what they said. She had almost completely mastered her powers. She had her sister's love once again, that had grown even deeper than when they were children. She was even having actual fun talking to Kristoff and exploring the mountains of where they lived with Sven. Years had passed, things have changed, and she thought she had made much progress…. But had she really changed completely?

She slowly made her way to the party, now under the setting sun… People dancing in the garden, and there were Kristoff and Anna, hand in hand dancing the day away… Clearly in complete love with one another. Their love glowed brighter than the rising moon above them. And despite her own understanding of love, Elsa had a hard time smiling all of sudden…. Maybe… she was still alone? Soon Anna would belong to Kristoff in a way Elsa didn't grasp in any way. It finally dawned on her, as she observed the party more deeply around her. She… Stepped backwards into the castle. Anna wasn't just… growing up. Elsa was losing her sister. Pretty soon, come the summer winds, Anna would have her own prince. Someone to… "back her up", in a way she couldn't. Anna didn't speak about her the way she spoke about Kristoff. She never understood their language of love. And that left her feeling empty all of a sudden. Instead of partying…. She decided to retire to her quarters instead. Suddenly being surrounded by a kingdom questioning the power of a kingless Queen, wasn't appealing to her anymore. She had always disliked the coming of spring anyway…

Hours passed. The moon rose over the castle and began to make its way to the horizon. Even before the rooster began to crow, and before the cleanup of the gardens was even attempted, the gates erupted in a booms. The entire kingdom would be soon awakened by the bells.

"THE SURVIVORS HAVE RETURNED."

Elsa threw herself out of bed, barely making an effort to look presentable. Anna rushed out in her pajamas, no shits given. As the castle gates threw open, horses flooded the premises, soldiers carried the wounded. Elsa rushed to her balcony, and saw several ships in port. She could cry with relief, they had returned. War would be avoided. But… how she gasped over and over, running through the castle as quickly as she could. A loving member of her servants rushed to her side.

"Your majesty, the King of the Southern Isles awaits. He brings news, amongst, several other… things" the aging woman gasped, trying to keep up with the Queen's pace. They stopped abruptly, almost causing the poor woman to fall to her feet. Elsa immediately wrapper her arm around her.

"The King!? " She shouted in terror. She rushed more slowly, doing her best to adjust her braid. At least she was wearing an elegant robe she thought to herself. Anna met her half way to the stairs.

"Ok, Anna, I know this is going to be extremely difficult for you, but promise me you'll compose yourself." They stopped at the top of the stairwell. Anna shrugged and started to go, but Elsa quickly held her arm out, blocking her. "Promise." Anna looked into her serious gaze and nodded.

"I promise, by my goodness Elsa what on earth is going on? I thought the lost sailors were back?"

"Anna… Just bear with me, ok!?" Elsa groaned.

"Wow, uh, ok!" Anna pushed her arm down and ran down the stairs. Elsa sighed and ran after her.

"Wait!" They rushed quickly along with all the staff to the courtyard, where a huge mass of people already began to gather, partially in celebration of the return. "What are the damages?" gasped Elsa, finding the captain of the royal guard.

"Your majesty," he bowed, "No lives were lost. All of the supplies and ship were destroyed. But all sailors have been rescued. It's a miracle my queen." Happy tears and shouts of joy rang throughout the castle and the kingdom; more and more bells began to ring.

"And who we have to thank for this miracle!?" Anna shouted, being grabbed and tossed into the air, and caught again by a familiar blonde head. "KRISTOFF!?" she shouted again, the two of them laughing as they circled in happiness, her fiancé holding her tightly in his arms. Elsa's look of shock turned to that of joy.

"I didn't do anything!" Kristoff laughed, Anna then smothering him with kisses.

"Please, sorry to interrupt, but I know who you can thank." Said a deep voice, parting the crowd as he made his way through. All kneeling as he presented himself to the queen.

"Presenting, his majesty, the King of the Southern Isles." Shouted his aide.

"My king." Said Elsa sternly, bowing in complete respect. Anna and Kristoff immediately followed in suit. "I should also call you, my hero, for returning all my sailors to my kingdom, for that we are forever in your debt." She smiled. The king, dressed head to toe in deep royal blues, a heavy bright gold sash covering his chest. A large red and gold crown beamed like a beacon on his head, covering his red hair, only leaving long sideburns to escape onto his large cheeks. His beard resembled that of a small lamp fire, perfectly sculpted and almost pointed out like a flame. Freckles littered any bare skin exposed. His dark brown eyes intimated Elsa as she looked into them.

"Let us rest, and gather ourselves, and we shall have a moment to speak. You have someone else to give your thanks to. While I love to say I that I indeed, have a royal fleet the world is envious of, I was not the man who sailed into glory. Let us have council in the morn. My men and I need rest." Else blinked, his voice was quite commanding and strong. His smile commanded respect.

"Indeed your majesty, we shall all share a toast in honor of yourself, your kingdom, and…"

"This mysterious hero you speak of." Said Anna, smirked slyly, and elbowing her sister in a teasing fashion. Elsa coughed and blushed as the King smirked back and walked forward towards the castle. The two looked on as the king and his entourage of men followed, along with the queen's own staff aiding the injured and carried them in. Anna and Kristoff kissed goodnight… A long kiss at that matter thought Elsa, and she looked outward once more at her subjects. Something, or someone caught her eye. No….

Amongst the small gathering of foreign navel officers by the gate… she saw a really large, really silly hat stick up above the others. She stared at it. The man wearing the hat looked up. And their eyes met. Elsa's blood ran colder than it usually did. Ice began to form under her feet. Holding in her breath as the stranger's eyes looked deeper into her, she quickly turned and ran inside.

"Such pomp and circumstance, huh?" Smiled Kistoff, arms folded in his fancy clothes, standing close to Anna as she stood near her sister, who sat proudly in on her thrown. Her royal blue velvet gowns draped around her bare shoulders, making Elsa look as cold and regal as ever. She was different, thought Anna. Her eyes look, afraid. Elsa did quiver as her hands gripped her throne tighter as the trumpets announced the king and his guest. She did not want to believe what she saw last night.

"Shh…" smiled Anna. "She's done this a hundred times, we always have to just, stand and look perfect. It'll be just fine. Besides you look so hot, it's all good." Kristoff looked back down at his future bride and turned bright red. He unfolded his arms and jutted out his chest. As the trumpets settled, those sitting stood, and the king made his way forward down the velvet isle. And shadowed man slowly followed. The closer they came… Anna's smile faded. Elsa's eyes watered. The red feather in the man's tall blue hat shimmered in the breeze, his naval uniform chiming with the golden medals adoring his sash and coat. His gloved hand clutched his shielded sword and he kept the other on his heart. As the King stopped, his bright red and gold crown matching his equally bight right coat and cape, and stood aside. Stepping forward, he finally raised his gaze and faced the queen head on. Green eyes quivering in terror. It was…

"Hans…" Anna softly gasped to herself, holding her hand to her mouth. Elsa grimaced and gripped her hands harder into the wood.

"Your majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, I present to you Admiral Westergard, decorated champion of my royal fleet. My youngest song… Prince Hans of the Southwen Isles. " the king's voiced echoed throughout the hall. All eyes fell on him, the silence deafening. A few seconds felt like hours, and the prince began to visibly shake all over. He closed his eyes, biting his bottom lip. Anna gripped both her fists tightly, beginning to shake in anger. Kristoff laid his warm hand on her shoulder, and she sighed. As the prince kneeled before the queen, all the metal he wore made awkward music. His fist pushed deeply into the marble of the floor. The king glared down, his regal expression turning into one of disappointed.

"We've met before." Elsa snapped. Standing from her throne, hands shaking. Her ice cold eyes pierced right through any conviction Hans held onto for strength and made him silently weep.

"What business do you have brining this… TRAITOR, back to our home your majesty!" shouted Anna loudly.

"Anna!" shouted back Elsa.

"No, please my queen," the king raised his hand. "I made my son pay for his crimes. He paid for it in my personal dungeon." He then stepped forward and addressed the entire room. "I punished him with my own hands. My OWN hands. He is MY son. And I saw to it, personally, that he pay for his disgusting crimes." He sneered down the shame kneeling before him. Tears starting to roll down Han's cheeks like a waterfall. "I stripped him of all his titles, and after a course in hard labor, I threw him back into military training. These are the punishments… of a Father, to his son. The man was eligible for death, and that's what he wanted." Elsa's angry eyes slowly softened into pity…. "I denied him all of what he wanted. Death, power…." The king sneered harder. "Love. When he wasn't slaving as a foot soldier, I put him into solitary confinement. I made him remember what it felt like to have something you love ripped away from your hands." Anna remained firm with her anger and huffed, crossing her arms in frustration and pain. "Then… came the war. And I knew what he was capable of. I put him to the test… I gave him a chance…" The king walked back to his place, and returned his arms behind his back, taking a slow breath. "And he atoned for his sins to the family by single-handedly defeating an entire enemy blockade against our ports with a single ship. I made him a captain, and after a year of war at sea he is now in command of my fleet. The man is a machine. He now only knows the ocean, pain, and victory in battle. Nothing more. I bring my son back to your feet to show you his pain and to show you how my kingdom has chosen to treat your enemies. My queen, I'd like to pledge an allegiance with your country. We are good war men, but we need to learn more diplomacy. " The king fell to his knees and removed his crown. Everyone gasped. Elsa fell back into her seat in shock.

"If we can find the peace and forgiveness of the Ice Queen, together our nations will shine with all the glory of peace and a happy future. Think not of my son any longer, he is nothing to you. I can only pray that the gift of the lives of your sailors will be enough for you to forgive me for my failures as a father." Elsa found it very difficult to fight back the tears she began to feel herself. The king's words held heavily in the air as he held his crown on his knees, the son behind him now a pathetic trembling mess. This truly was a pathetic, awful sight, and she couldn't bear it any longer.

"Your majesty, my King, your words do not fall on hardened ears." The whole room stopped holding its breath and everyone sighed heavily in unison. She truly has changed thought Anna to herself, still shaking with anger. "I... I will grant you counsel. We shall speak further into the matter on an alliance on our two kingdoms. We clearly need ships, and protection…. But, only for the tremendous gift you have bestowed upon us will I grant a reward. Nothing… Else… Will be addressed." Her eyes turned back to the crumpled royal mess on her floor, sobbing in silence and hiding his face. She swallowed her pride, as incredibly painful as it was. But she still had a job to do. "Understand this; his punishment was your undertaking, that doesn't have anything to do with my judgment. I will no longer speak on this matter. I… Thank him for returning the fathers and sons of my kingdom safely, But that is all. I want this…. So called Admiral out of my sight and off the floor of my court, escort him to his chambers. I want him to be escorted constantly by my royal guards on any grounds of Arendelle and once the banquet to be held in honor of the King is over… So is this meeting. And there will be no objections of ANY kind. THAT IS ALL." She commanded a gust of freezing cold air to violently race through the great hall as she waved her arm; signaling that now would be a good time to leave. Right now. Before the King could even get to his feet, Elsa ran as fast as she could down the steps and to fly to her quarters. Immediately. So she could finally cry.

"Elsa…" breathed Anna as she caught up behind her, grabbing her arm and succeeding in pulling her in for a much needed hug. They embraced as Elsa let herself sob.

"Why are you crying? I'm the one who should be crying…" Kristroff soon followed, standing there unsure of what to do or say. "I guess this was harder for you than I thought."

"Anna I'm proud of you." She sobbed.

"What?"

"It's true, because all I want to do is run away and I can't even face him. You can stand and fight, and be strong…."

"Oh Elsa…" Anna smiled softly at her and picked up her chin with her hand. "The king was right… He's nothing to us…"

"Right, I mean, look at just the two of us," Kristoff said, holding a hand on Anna's shoulder, kissing her cheek. "There's nothing really to be upset about the more you think about it, so the asshole is here and not in a cell, we can tolerate him on the grounds for a bit before we get married. Besides, it's kinda funny watching him crumble like that." He laughed. Anna giggled as well.

"True true, that was priceless. Oooh my Daddy doesn't love me anymore boo hoo." She snorted and chuckled."

"Totally pathetic." Laughed Kristoff. Elsa pulled back and held her arms up to her chest, feeling that same emptiness she felt before. That felt a little cold, even for her. Ice slowly began forming at her feet. Noticing this, Anna hand went back to Elsa's freezing shoulder.

"What's wrong…?" she asked.. Elsa's bottom lip trembling.

"I don't know. I don't know how to feel right now I never felt like this before." The ice growing faster. Now turning the hallway into a skating rink.

"Whoa Elsa, get a hold of yourself, really everything will be ok we promise.." Kristoff grew more concerned and also tried to touch her shoulder to soothe her weariness. "We're here for you if you want to talk."

"I don't know what to say." Elsa withdrew even more as she watched the subjects in the hall empty out into the corridor, more people seeing her lose control. Eventually the king, and the admiral, made their way through… And Elsa for the first time clearly saw Hans's face. He was as pale as she was… looking scruffy... A long scar now buried deep into his skin of his left cheek. Not wanting it to happen, but their eyes locked again. He was completely different, no more charm, no more smile, even the red of his hair looked so dull. A broken man and nothing more… Despite all the power clinging to his chest he felt nothing in those eyes. Just being there before them to him was a punishment. Nothing to you, those words echoed. He's nothing. Why isn't she angry? Why isn't she happy? Why did she want to cry? Was this the same man who at one time made my little sister so… enamored? How could one filled with such immense fire, turn into a creature of cold like herself. Anna and Kristoff noticed the stare-off, and Anna began to glare and shake once again with hatred… Hans raised his hand up only to acknowledge her, but Elsa fled like a bird and ice followed. Kristroff tried to follow, but fell to his feet as everyone else behind them lost their balance on the ice as well.

As Elsa slammed the door behind her, ignoring several worried calls of my lady from her loving servants. She wept into her gloved hands. Why this feeling… Why this emptiness. Why this horror. She should be thrilled for the return of the innocent men to their families, even more so that her kingdom could have an ally strong enough to protect what she can't…. But why did it have to be from him. Why does he show up… of all people, when she for the first time, began to wonder what feeling lonely really is. It didn't feel good at all knowing the man who wanted her… dead… was even more alone than she was. Why would feeling what she felt almost her entire life be considered a punishment? So…. Living a lonely life… And being forced to stay strong always despite your fears… is now called punishment?

It must've been hours that had passed when she finally pulled her face away from her pillow, soaked completely from her sadness. The banging on her door was insistent and continued for well over fifteen minutes.

"What's the matter?" Elsa groaned, pulling herself from her favorite cuddling couch, a stuffed toy and some pillows falling to the floor.

"Please… Just open the door." The pitiful voice said. She wiped the moisture from her eyes and cheeks, and hesitantly stood up and looked across the room to her reflection. Never even bothered to escape from the heavy waves of her sea colored gown… She dragged her train and her heavy spirit closer to the gates of her sanctuary. "I'm begging you my queen please speak to me…" Elsa knew that voice. She recognized the pain it felt to hear it. She swallowed her fear into her belly, wear it only turned into butterflies and made her feel worse.

"Why should I even let you in my sights? Where are my guards?"

"Believe it or not, Anna let me in." Now she knew he was lying.

"You're so full of it!" she stomped to the door and slapped her palm against it. "She would sooner kick your backside into the fjord again before speaking any words to you!"

"That's true; in fact she actually… did say she would do that again. She threw my apology right back at me like I knew she would. But I told her all I came here for was to help make sure her… and yourself… were safe from this terrible war that will be coming to your doorstep. I'm begging you to trust me, and I need to speak to you without my father. I need to do this for myself… Because I can't live with myself knowing what I've done and tried to do any further. No amount of power and medals will ever change that."

The clicking of the lock startled him, and the door slowly creaked open with a soft icy wind. It beckoned him to enter, and once he was through another cold blast sealed him inside the darkness.

"I trust my guards were intelligent enough to remove your sword." Her back turned to him, her eyes only seeing his distorted reflection on the window. He removed his hat, and both gloves, one by one, and threw them onto a chair. Holding his palms up, standing strait and firm, he closed his eyes.

"Strike me down my queen if it pleases you." Elsa frowned and leaned on the windowsill.

"Why on earth would you think more bloodshed would please me!?" she shouted, "Do you still take me for some mindless monster?"

"No, of course not… my queen…" he sighed, lowering his hands and looking back at her glare in the reflection. "My only wish… is to somehow fill this undying hole inside my chest. If protecting your harbors can bring that fulfillment back to me I know I'll be a better man finally." Elsa gripped her own heart tightly and closed her eyes. Emptiness she understood completely.

"Call me… Elsa…." She sighed, finally turning to face her fears, wanting his words to be true. Tears once again welled up, making the emerald color of his eyes burst through the pain he felt. Her cold eyes freezing into place and unable to look away. She stared not only at his tears… but at the scar he now wore as a badge of honor, his unshaven chin… And his incredibly decorated uniform. It was the color of the waters that surrounded her castle. But despite all the layers he hid behind, she saw right through those tears. As he trembled before her, longing for any kind of possible forgiveness, she stepped slowly closer. "Tell me how you earned that."

"Oh, this thing…" lowered his face again, clearly ashamed. She inched even closer, and hesitantly raised a cold finger to it… gently smoothed it from the top of his cheek to his chin. He winced. "My first time back at sea… I was lucky I made the first trip." Being even closer to him, she could look even deeper into those pathetic eyes and see how genuinely embarrassed he was. Constantly fidgeting, his freckled cheeks flushing red.

"They tortured you pretty bad at home… didn't they?" She asked, letting her empathy out slightly.

"Well, when you behave like a monster…."

"They treat you like one." Elsa put her hand fully on his scared cheek. Hans breathed a bit more quickly and licked his lips nervously. Her touch was indeed truly cold… But like piece of ice to a black eye, it was soothing. His fingers shook violently as he tried to place his hands upon hers. He was expecting a cold slap, not a kind touch.

"Elsa I understand better how you felt, how you may still be feeling…. To be truly alone… And to have love taken from you." Was this really the same man that made Anna so naive? Because there wasn't anything charming about bearing your pain to someone that you know wants to hurts you. But did Elsa want to hurt him anymore? "I've seen so much death these past few years, to finally see the eyes of a woman who is as beautiful as the first snow of winter… brings me the most peace I've felt my entire life."

She held her breath… No one ever spoke to her like that before… Was he just saying this again, like how Anna was fooled, how everyone was fooled and conned into believing his intentions. Was it like it was before…? How could she possibly know for sure? But she couldn't pull away from holding his cheek. She didn't want him to stop holding her hand there. Her mind was flooded by images of Kristoff and Anna being so loving to one another… and how the spring has been leaving her so empty. Would forgiveness really be the answer to this whole mess? Anna wasn't completely wrong about a few things however… As they stood there and stared deeply at each other, unsure of what to say or do... He truly was incredibly handsome. It was easy for her to see how Anna was manipulated by this man before her. Still… he wasn't the same… there was no more false Prince… She let her face pull closer to his so she could be surer… Her other hand pressed his other cheek and she forced herself and himself to look at each other's souls. His tears flowed endlessly now. His fire had been put out years ago, he had been completely broken.

"Elsa…" he whimpered. "I'm sor-" she stopped him with her lips, quickly pressing her softness again his firm mouth. Standing on her tippy toes, she struggled to reach him. She had officially lost her senses and all self control. Completely taken off guard, Hans's hands fell to his side as she awkwardly kissed him some more. He gently pulled her away. "I… we… What!?" Noticing her tears as well, he grabbed her cold bare arms and gripped her tightly.

"Hans," she wept, her arms wrapping around his strong shoulders. "I saw myself in your eyes just now and I just want you to kiss me, please don't make me feel even worse than I already do." Her cheeks as red as his now. "I know this is crazy but I think I understand you."

"I love crazy…" he sighed, holding her chin with his hand and pulling her in for another kiss, this time less awkward, and more full. Teaching her how to kiss properly, he held his arm on her back and pulled her into his chest, pressing harder with his tongue against hers. So this is what a real kiss feels like.. Elsa melted in his embrace. Feeling her body release tension, he turned his head to the other side and let her see what he was capable of. Nearly sweeping her off of her feet, he bended her over slightly and forced her arm higher up on his neck, letting her taste more of his sweet mouth. She gasped as their mouths finally parted, her body feeling a warm sensation she never once felt before. The ice that etched her window thawed into steam. As Hans pulled away, steam existed his mouth. This went in a direction he wasn't expecting, in any way. Elsa raised her hand, and threw a heavy layer of ice on the door handle, locking them completely inside.

"You want forgiveness? I want something to fill this aching hole I have inside of me… Despite all the happiness around me I still feel completely alone, even after having my sister brought back to me!" she shouted. "So YOU want forgiveness. I NEED something to help me not resent spring! Teach me how to love spring! Teach me how to-" Hans frowned as he threw his arms around his queen again and brought her in for another kiss. This time without fear, he scooped her up in his arms and danced in a circle as he passionately kissed her as hard as he could. Her dress flowing around them like a wave as he spun her. "Hans." She gasped, as he gently sat her majesty back on her lounge chair, and raced to the window to shut the curtains. He turned to face her, as himself, not a prince, not an admiral, but as himself. As she looked up at him, her hands made her furniture turn into frost. Her quick breathing forced her chest to rise higher, exposing more of her plunging cleavage. She held her palm over her heart to try and conceal it.

"Elsa… I am yours, completely, if you want me. If it helps heal I will be whatever you want." Elsa quivered at the man before her… knowing only what her heart wanted more than anything at that moment. To know what Anna felt like when Kristoff finally told her he loved her. She slowly stood back up, and towards him. After an agonizing few steps… She held her hands up to his chest.

"Maybe… later… you can tell me more about the ocean…" she sighed, slowly kissing his scar. He stroked his fingers through her white hair, and brought her back to his lips for another kiss. Deeper and deeper they kissed, teaching her majesty more and more about what warm hot kisses were really made of. His lips only leaving hers to kiss her chin, and then her neck. She gasped at the fluttery tickles his tongue gave her has he passionately kissed behind her ear. They backed into her desk, his arm swiftly cleaning off the mess of papers onto the floor. Gently he raised her to sit on it, their kissing uninterrupted. He moaned oh so gently as she pulled away only to kiss his chin and neck in return. "Teach me…" she sighed… the warmth growing into a steady smoldering fire, more steam exiting the prince's mouth. His hands quickly fumbled with the hundreds of golden buttons and satchels holding him behind, her cool fingertips trying her best to help him. With a loud bang the metal coat finally fell to the floor and their bustling hands then struggled with his tie, and then more buttons. Their breath quickening as they continued to kiss, their tongues beginning to grow addicted to the tastes of their mouths. By the time the prince was able to tear his shirt away from his chest, Elsa's hands already discovered his flawless skin. Her mouth only breaking away so her eyes could stare at his physique. Rippling muscles covered him from his shoulders right down to his hips… She turned brighter red as he threw the cloth aside and went to kiss her again. She couldn't stop staring at him. Noticing her hesitation… He took her cool hand, and placed it against his chest.

"This is your property, your majesty…" he whispered. She ran her fingers up, and down, slowly, feeling the strength and hardness of his muscles. Her hands then gripped his upper arms, as he pulled back in, his hands now exploring her shoulders, their lips meeting once again. Elsa gently gasping as his fingertips raced up and down her back, gently tickling her bare skin as he searched for some clasps. By now the fire that burned deep within her was now an inferno, new sensations gripped her body and she could not fight against it, not matter how cold she thought she really was. All logic and reason left her. All she knew was white, hot, heat. As he found his key, Hans unlocked her, exposing more and more of her as he pulled downward on her gown. Quivering, she pressed herself harder against his bare chest, terrified of what was to come... but wanting it more than ever before. Both his hands now raced into action to untie her corset. Their eyes locked as their lips parted again for much needed air, Elsa's fear made her eyes widen. Hans smiled for the first time in four years, and finished pulling out the last ribbon. He stopped and put his hands back on her shoulders.

"Only when you're ready." He said. Kissing her cheek lovingly. Elsa sighed with relief and pulled his lips back onto hers, her hands returning to his fiery hair. Taking that as a signal to proceed, Hans's fingers traveled to the edges of her dress, barely clinging to her shivering shoulders. With a slight tug, the fabric began to fall, exposing more of her beautiful pale skin. Elsa whimpered and put her hands to her chest, covering herself as her flowing gown betrayed her and fell to the floor, Hans easing the material over her curved hips and away from the desk. Her corset soon following. Now with only the thinnest of material covering her womanhood, Elsa trembled all over as she sat in from of a man exposed for the very first time. And not just any man… She held herself tightly and looked away with embarrassment as Hans became lost in her radiating beauty. He kissed and worshiped the skin of her shoulders, his hand covering up hers, gently stroking her fingers. Taking her chin into his hand, he forced her to look up at him as he soothingly coaxed her hands away from her chest.

They looked down her breasts together, Elsa shivering all over. She never felt so cold before in her entire life, she thought to herself as his fiery head leaned down and kissed the top of her chest as softly as he possible could. She gasped as he knelt down, his lips traveling downward, his hands now cupping her full breasts, gently massaging them. She arched her back as his lips found her small pink nipples, kissing softly at first, but then licking and teasing each one with his fingertips. Causing them to grow hard and erect, he continued to softly lick and pull with his lips. Her whimpers turned in moans as little lightning strikes traveled down her back and into her hips. His hands gripped her breasts tightly the more he loved her chest, worshiping every inch of them, allowing his masterful tongue work its way down to her navel, his hands now busy trying to remove the rest of her garments. Taking all the time in the world, his fingertips effortlessly rolled down her thigh high stockings to her toes, tossing the silky fabric in the air. Elsa was still in complete shock... Unable to react logically... she was too weak to stop this flood that she unleashed. Her mind kept trying to remind her about the past... her heart was too powerful to let herself think. All she knew was the fire she now felt inside. A fire that never existed before. Now she felt the air hit her most vulnerable area as he removed her bloomers as gently as he could. And all doubt melted from her pours and Hans's heavy hot breath, now met with her inner thighs.

"Hans!" she gasped, as his mouth plunged into her, his hands firmly gripping her rear and pulling her closer to the edge of her desk. One hand balancing herself, the other gripping firmly into his red hair. She arched her back as he delved deeper still, worshiping the queen as best as he possibly could. His tongue, relentless and merciless, explored every inch of her, his fingertips clawing into her rear. She then sang to the ceiling and widened her thighs as wide as she possibly could. She knew nothing of the world and war outside. All she knew for the first time, what pleasure really felt like. She cried out and fell onto her back as Hans found something even she didn't know she had with his fingers.

"My queen..." he gasped, surprised at her reaction, looking up to her flushed face. "Are you ok?" he knelt back up and rested his hands on the tops of her thighs. Elsa looked down at him, absolutely mortified at her position and where the prince's face was hovering. She teared up and turned redder than they thought possible.

"…Don't stop." She whispered, ashamed of her weak defenses.

"Don't be ashamed…" he smiled. He placed his fingers back to where they were and kept his eyes locked onto her. He went back to work, gently and more slow than before. She cried out in pleasure and her hands covered her breasts. "You're amazing." He sighed, leaning back down and allowing his tongue to finish what he started. She cried out even harder, sweat now pouring from her, another sensation she never felt before. As his tongue and fingers became more rhythmic, she felt something welling up inside that was also new. And it grew bigger… and bigger…. And bigger… until... She felt like she was bursting. Sitting up quickly, she practically roared with ecstasy as Hans pulled his mouth away, unable to remove his large fingers without ruining her fun. He quickly silenced her screams with his mouth, her hips continuously grinding against his palm, her body feeling weak. As she neared the end of her climax, they moaned together in their mouths as they continued to kiss deeply. Fingers finally freed, he returned his arms around her back and held her close in an embrace as the orgasm continued to wave throughout her body.

"…Hans…" Elsa gasped… her concentration only breaking to look down at the object poking into her, only to realize it was his growing manhood begging for her attention. Her eyes widened at the sheer size of the mass growing in his dress pants. He blushed brighter than the crimson on his uniform. Stepping down from her desk, all embarrassment melting away, she stood back up before him, her hands caressing his chest. He sighed and kissed her deeply again, holding her nude body firmly against his. As his hands unraveled her braid, her hands pulled at the leather of his belt, and another loud bang followed as it felt to the floor. He quickly broke away from her mouth only to quickly tear off his boots, and then returning to deliciously ice cold mouth. Without anymore hesitation holding her back, Elsa took a deep breath and unbuttoned the prison holding back manhood. She did however; hesitate when her hands felt bare skin on his hips. He stopped kissing her, and again their eyes locked. Without looking down, he stepped back and kicked away whatever was left covering him. Their eyes never looking elsewhere but deep into each other. Hans brought his large, quivering, sweaty palms back to her shoulders, and pulled her back in for more. She breathed deeply in and out of her nose, whimpering as their bodies touched, finally feeling his manhood press up against her skin. Not able to ignore it anymore, her hands arched down his firm back, caressing his hips, and then ended at his rock solid rear, her fingers gripping into his soft skin. He moaned gently in her mouth, wincing slightly as her fingers felt what a man feels like for the first time, trying her hardest to keep her cold fingers in control. As she explored the details of his immense manhood, Hans groaned harder, his mind swirling like mad at the glorious sensation of her icy touch.

Suddenly Elsa drifted down to her knees. She wasn't completely ignorant to what couples in love did behind closed doors. She wasn't completely oblivious to the wishes of men to their lovers. She may be an untouched queen, but she was intelligent to say the least. And of course she knew what he was thinking, and what he was longing for. She wanted to please him like how he pleased her…. Closing her eyes, and taking a deep breath, she wrapped her hands around him and began to massage. Hans stared down in completely disbelief. She didn't have to do anything for him if she didn't want to…. He came to her to give up his life completely to her beck and call; he wasn't expecting a single thing in return. And now, this was happening… Catching his breath, he began an attempt to stop her.

"Elsa, you don't-"he gasped... The breath was ripped right out of his lungs as he felt her soothing cool touch caress his most vulnerable spot, and her cool lips beginning to kiss up and down the shaft. Losing his balance, he stepped back and reached for the bed post, gripping hard to prevent himself from falling. "Elsa!" he gasped again, her kisses becoming more intense, and then quickly gliding him into her mouth. The cold sensation sent shivers all over, pure pleasure shooting up his back, and down to his toes. He was instantly weakened. Nothing overpowered him like this before he thought, as his eyes rolled back into his head. She sucked him in deeply into her throat, and then pulled him out. Taking a deep breath, she pulled him back in, and continued in rhythm, only stopping once or twice to passionately kiss the head. Giving in to her whims, and caving in to the pleasure, he moaned loudly and fell back against the bed post, leaning all of his weight into it. He caved in as she wrapped her tongue up and down him, kissing and sucking deeply, his shaking hand gripping into her white locks, arching his back and pointing his chin to the ceiling. His free hand gripped tightly into the cover of the bed and he bit his bottom lip, preventing himself from shouting. She was relentless.

She continued her pace, moaning silently, feeling the heat still growing between her legs. Keeping her hand there, she could still feel the wetness he left there from before. Oh, what was happening? What is this incredible magic? What is happening… she repeated over and over, now touching herself as she never did before. Everything about this moment was foreign, but it made her feel so complete. She couldn't explain it, but hearing his cries in response to her actions, made her feel like a new woman. Suddenly she felt one of his fingers in her mouth, and she looked up into his eyes. He was sweating profusely, gasping for air, flushed in red all over. But his green eyes still pierced right through to her very soul.

"My queen," he gasped for another breath, "Elsa, you must stop, or I will… I will…" he stammered, pulling his hand away from her mouth, and trying to stand up straight. Unsure of what he meant, she pulled him away from her face. "I need to save myself for you." He managed. She blushed deeply again… She slowly rose back to her feet, eyes looking down at his completely erect member. It quivered uncontrollably and made her feel intimidated by its size.

"Save… yourself." She took a deep breath. The way he was leaning against her bed… completely open and exposed to her…. His sweaty red hair covering his brow… his chest rising and falling sharply…. Was there really ice still inside of her? Because all she could feel right now was heat. He composed himself, clearing his throat, and stood back up.

"Do you want me? You can have… All of me, my queen. My Elsa." He sighed. Tears welled up in her eyes again. Throwing her arms around his neck, they kissed deeply once more, falling backwards onto her billowy bed. They rolled around in the blankets, taking turns kissing each other's neck, Hans lovingly teasing her tickly spot behind her ear. She giggled, and actually smiled as he smiled back, tickling her sides and stomach. Giggles turning into laughter. "Your laugh is like music..." Hans said as he flipped her onto her back, hands cupping her breasts once more and kissing down her neck. Leaning up, she couldn't help but smile back at him as his fingertips pleased her nipples. She arched her back more and happily groaned as her smile widened. "Unbelievable…" he sighed. She stopped and looked suddenly worried.

"What…?" she asked. He continued to smile and kissed her tender pink buds... making her gasp softly, she adored that sensation so much… how it tickled and sent more lightning to all the right places…

"Elsa you're the most unbelievably wonderful woman I've ever met." He looked down at her, naked and vulnerable before him. Her skin moist from perspiration, but she glistened and twinkled like melting icicles in the early dawn. She held her breath as he leaned back, looking up at that perfectly sculpted body… his massive growth still twitching… But those eyes still never changing, still piercing through… However, there was something there before in his eyes that wasn't when she first looked at him when he was crying at her feet. They almost sparkled.

"…I want you… Admiral Westergard…." She softly whispered… her hands slowly moving away from herself… allowing her legs to open just slightly. She knew… That this wasn't how the queen should be behaving…. She knew… About the past. And she was fully aware of the proper proceedings for a lady of her stature to lose her precious gift after marriage. But it was obvious by now that she was not cut from the same cloth as other queens. And this man…. Before her…. Was a different one… She could feel something there before that wasn't. Maybe he really did change. Something was going on, and she wanted to find out…. She wanted to know…. And she knew right then and there that she was falling in love with him. And lying before him was the most powerful queen in all their lands. Exposed to him, and only him, and he couldn't figure out why…. All he knew that when he looked into her, he saw something in her eyes that wasn't there when he was a pathetic traitor wishing for death at her feet. The woman he once thought was just an obstacle in his way was now a force to be reckoned with, and he craved her forgiveness forever. Now he also craved her kiss…. And he's craving for all of her.

He leaned back down, and kissed her differently this time, kissed her slow and let something else move them together. They breathed in unison as they kissed with tenderness, and love. He gently wrapped his arms under her, and sat her up, and pulled her closer. They looked down together where their hips were meeting, and pressed against one other. The sensation of his heat against her wetness made her dizzy. Tears flowed as a lump formed in her throat. This was her first time; she couldn't help but feel scared. Feeling her fear, Hans laid her back down gently, and placed his hands on her thighs.

"Tell me to stop if it hurts…" he whispered, opening her more to him, leaning his hips closer. She swallowed, and kept her eyes on his as he stroked himself against the softness of her womanhood. It felt like an eternity as he pushed himself in, the sensation pushing gasps from her lungs. His hand quickly found hers and their fingers gripped hard as he entered her half way. And then… with one more push, she felt him hit her wall.. Arching her back drastically, she cried out, her free hand clawing the blankets.

"I'm sorry, too much?" Hans worriedly stroked her hand with his thumb… She opened her eyes again and looked up, gasping for air. She quickly nodded no, and smiled as best she could. He smiled back, and slowly began to pull back out, and then gently inward. Beginning a slow steady pace. Biting her lower lip, Elsa mmmmmed at the sensation, slowly warming up to it.. All fears melting away once more… however... Hans could still feel how cool her insides still were… making the shivers run up his spine more intensely. It was hard to be this painfully slow when this amazing woman felt so incredible… The coldness wasn't uncomfortable; instead it felt… refreshing… and encouraged him to move deeper and harder… His other free hand grabbed hers, and he couldn't contain himself anymore… "Oh, my queen… I'm sorry but…" he let go of her hands and slowly rolled her onto her side, lying behind her and spooning up against her adorable perky rear… His hands fondling it... Elsa let him guide her inexperienced hands as he reached over and lifted up her one leg. "Forgive me if it's painful…." He gasped, gliding himself back inside her from behind. His mouth clamping onto the back of her neck as she moaned loudly… He thrusted much deeper into her this time, and with harder rhythm, causing the bed to shake along with them. All she could do was moan in ecstasy as he railed into her, the pressure and sensation making her feel like she was about to explode. He panted and groaned right back, slapping himself into her harder and harder.

"Hans!" she bellowed, as he rolled her onto her belly, and pulled her back onto her knees, entering her from behind again, and not slowing down for a second. His pace quickened as she pleaded for more. The heat was exploding in her body; a volcano continued erupting over and over… The bursting waves of an orgasm were now tsunamis. Over and over, the more he pounded into that spot she recently discovered, the more and more she came. Blinded by passion, the only sensation there was now was bliss. Limbs were numb but still usable. She managed to push herself off the bed, and push Hans back. "Hold me…" she commanded… Inching forward and kissing him deeply, Hans growled and moaned as he picked her up in his arms and stood on the ground. Hands firmly gripping her rear, she wrapped her legs around his hips and arms around his neck. Gleefully he slipped back inside; ramming his hips into her and the two began to sing in unison. Breasts bouncing up and down, her head falling back, and hair flowing all around them. Hans leaning down slightly to smother her neck with more kisses. They kept at this pace until her arms grew weak, and needed to lie back down. He placed her back on the bed, but without withdrawing, and continued to plunge into her while he stood above… His hands playing with her chest more, learning how much she enjoyed that… They both smiled as their eyes kept locking, losing themselves completely in one other. He grew prouder in his strength the more and more he accomplished orgasms for her, to the point where he lost count. Not only were the sensations she gave him absolutely incredible, but she was so sensitive too. Ah… she's my perfect lover; he thought… all the walls he built to hide his heart from his goals began to pull away.

Eventually they made their way to her favorite couch, this time Elsa perched happily on top of him, bouncing up and down as he thrusted his hips upward. It was clearly dark by now… and they only took a brief second to light one tiny candle. And it was getting colder…. But they weren't done yet… they didn't want any of it to end anytime soon, because reality was what waited them when it was over… Pinching her nipples and tweaking them, Elsa cried out with her arms over her head.

"I… I…."Hans hissed, lowering his hands to her hips and making her stop. "I can't…." he tried to say, but unable to speak from exhaustion. She looked down at his pained expression, and slowly pulled him out of her… still groaning from his size. Still huge and still twitching… she stepped down and softly kissed his cheek. "I… Want to do it… the right way…" he gasped.

"What do you mean?" Elsa asked, puzzled. He slowly got up, and scooped her back in his arms and held her like she was a feather. Despite the hours and hours of love making, nothing drained his spirit. Carrying her back to the bed for the final time, he beamed down at her flushed face, gently stroking his hand against her cheek as he laid her back in the sheets.

"Elsa…" he mounted her again, his hands lovingly massaging her thighs as he parted them, then back to caressing her face as he glided back deep inside her. She gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I vow to protect you..." he whispered as he kissed her deeply again. "I will lay down my life to protect you and your kingdom my queen." He whispered more, Elsa pulling him back into her mouth and wanting more of his taste. He thrusted easily into her wetness with more energy, concentrating deeply on how incredible she felt surrounding him. Her deep kisses now filling his mouth with a cold breeze, frost escaping from their mouths whenever they came back for air. The harder her fingers gripped and clawed into his back, the more frost began to grown and kiss his freckled shoulders. His voice weakened and droplets of sweat dripped down from his red bangs. "My goddesss!" he bellowed. "Oh… my goddess let me worship… you!" he cried as he pounded his hips as hard as he possibly could into her small frame. She could hardly stand the pressure, she wailed with pure pleasure, and tears flowed freely down her cheeks. As she came again for the countless time, she finally began to weaken. As he inched closer and closer to his breaking point… He forced her to look deep into his eyes, hands gripping tightly onto hers. He would never allow himself to desecrate the honor of being allowed to come inside of a queen.

Finally she felt him tremble in a new way, his hips stopping briefly as he cried out.

"Goddess…"he cried harder… her insides overflowing with a new kind of heat. She watched him as he reeled back, his back arching sharply, his fluid seeping out and onto the bed… He began to shake all over uncontrollably as he slumped on top of her, taking her by surprise. Completely spent, he could only take deep breaths as his hips slowly gyrated… Still wanting more. She sighed deeply, realizing what had just conspired… was completely untraditionally in every way… But a smile grew from ear to ear, as he nuzzled her gently and whimpered, still inside of her and still not wanting to let her go. He rested his damp head on her chest, and she happily embraced him… one arm smoothing his strong back… Her other hand busy with combing her fingers through his bangs. So she could see his sleepy gaze… There was nothing traditional about her anyway, she thought to herself. This is… He leaned up slightly to smile back at her, his green eyes sparkling more than ever. This is perfection she thought. Noticing the patches of frost that randomly appeared on his arms, shoulders, and back, she quickly pulled the blankets up and over themselves. Hans slowly rolling onto his back, pulling her onto his chest, they wrapped themselves up in loving warmth. This was not expected, at all. They both thought. But still… it made a little bit of sense. Both taking a last, deep breath, small snowflakes gently floated out from their mouths and settled on their cheeks. They laughed softly. There was nothing left to say right now… They held each other closer, and closed their eyes in complete comfort. All they could do now, was sleep, and dream… And worry about tomorrow after a tender night of rest.


	2. Chapter 2

The Thaw; Chapter Two

Elsa's eyes fluttered gently open like a butterfly settling on a flower. For the first time in ages, she awoke with a small smile, rolling onto her right side and curling into her blankets tighter, sighing happily. A beautiful dream… She looked at the beams of light shooting through her closed curtains… soft specs of dust dancing like a short lived flurry. And then noticed the odd mess of papers that littered the floor. And then a large pair of men's boots under her desk… Slowly her smile faded. Finally noticing the weight pushing into the bed behind her, she pulled her blankets even closer to her chest. The quiet and deep groan that came from her guest startled her. He fidgeted and turned onto his stomach, exposing most of his bare backside. It wasn't a dream… She gulped. Trying her best not to disturb him, she inched her way into a sitting position, keeping all the blankets as close to her as possible. In doing so, she exposed him even more. She trembled in disbelief at the sight of his prominent rear… That sculpted back. She gulped again, the lump in her throat impossible to swallow. Hans's arm falling off the side of the mattress, he sighed and pushed his cheek harder into the pillow. She didn't know whether to scream, laugh, or cry. As she contemplated her next move… A sudden, quick knocking on her door snapped her into action.

"Your majesty, my queen I apologize for intruding, but you've overslept." said one of her motherly servants. Elsa gasped as she ripped the blankets from her bed and threw herself onto the floor. Hans simply licked his lips and yawned like a hibernating bear, eyes still glued shut. Staring at the naked giant red beast taking over her bed, she began to panic.

"N-n-no apologies! I… I was just waking up!" she stammered, turning in circles looking for something to get her out of this nightmare.

"My queen it's getting late." The door began to click open. Elsa nearly screamed once she realized her frozen lock melted overnight. And that her most trusted maid had a key… She threw herself forward into the door, slamming it shut. The loud bang finally startled Hans awake. The servant stepped back in shock. "You'll be late for your meeting with his majesty the king!"

"I'm not feeling well, please give me one moment!" Elsa shouted in terror. Within seconds Hans was to his feet, clamoring for his clothing, gathering anything and everything he possibly could. As he gathered his things within one arm; Elsa struggled to keep the door shut.

"My queen, if you are not well all the more reason for us to take you to your bath at once!" her servant insisted. Not wanting at all to hurt the poor woman, Elsa eased up a bit and the spry old gal kicked in the door sending Elsa back in utter amazement. All she could do was stand there like a deer before a hunter's arrow, looking disheveled and a total mess. Blankets falling off her shoulders with every movement. Her servant stood there with her mouth hanging open as she scanned the room, aghast at the incredible mess. And surprised to see her majesty in such disarray. She really WASN'T well! Elsa did her best to not let her eyes lead her servant to the shadow clinging to the wall behind the opened door, a pile of clothing at his feet, and only having his large hat to cover his groin. He held his breath, hoping that would somehow make him invisible.

"I… I felt feverish during the night and… and…" she blushed, quickly stepping forward and grasped her servant's hands, trying her best to lead her out of her room.

"You poor dear, come let's get you taken care of immediately. I'll send for someone to clean your linens."

"NO!" Elsa shouted, startling the poor woman. She laughed nervously. "No, I mean, I would like to clean this mess myself… I have so many notes to keep in order, I'll ask for someone to clean later today. And I have plenty of linens!" she laughed more, walking out of the room, looking over her shoulder briefly. As she walked more into the light, Hans stepped out from his hiding spot, and smiled goofily as he kept his hands on his hat, covering what he could. She felt her face burn intensely as she giggled uncontrollably, holding her hand up to hide her face. He quietly mouthed good bye and waved a bit as they were pulled further away from each other. Now that was a sight, she thought to herself as she turned to look forward and he quietly closed the door. The servant was too distracted by Elsa's sudden strange behavior to even notice it closing on its own.

"As you wish your majesty." The servant sighed and shook her head. As they walked through the hallway, Elsa noticed many large crates stacked inside her parlor.

"Madam, what… What is all this?" she stopped walking. Her caretaker smiled warmly.

"Ohh, well, my queen, these are all gifts given to you by the king." her warm smile wrinkled her nose, Elsa blinked with puzzlement.

"…Gifts?" she asked, walking towards an open crate, and gasped. Piles of dresses, shoes, and hats were stuffed inside.

"All precious gifts from the lands of the south, he brought fashion beloved by the southern isles and more from his kingdom. Here…" the servant handed her majesty an envelope, and gleefully clapped her hands. "The king left you a note!" Elsa took a much needed breath as she opened the letter and scanned it with her eyes. Her servant getting impatient. "Oh, your majesty, please tell me what it says."

"He says he would love for me to wear one of these gowns for the banquet, and for me to smile more… That my smile fills him with all the warmth of the summer sun. That's all." Her hand lowered… His words almost stinging… This didn't make her feel good, at all… Suddenly feeling heavy, she ignored her servant's giggles.

"Oh that is lovely my queen!" she clapped. "Come, let us get you cleaned up and prepared for your meeting, and later, we shall have fun opening your gifts. Come on now!" she grabbed her hand and pulled her back into the hallway. Elsa let herself drag behind. It's interesting how quickly the cold chill of reality can change her heart, she thought to herself… Meanwhile, Hans pulled away from pressing up against the wall, watching them quickly rush from his sights. He sighed heavily, a frown taking over his gaze. He looked over at the piles and piles of clothing, and boxes... And he felt a cold chill fill up inside his chest as he finished buttoning his jacket.

"Presenting! Her majesty! Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" the guard's commanding voice filled the room. Elsa slowly made her way inside, wearing her _old_ favorite gown, the same she wore on her coronation. She sat in her chair, and folded her arms on her lap. She smiled as her eyes looked at everyone sitting at the large wooden table before her, all men representing her kingdom, her military, and of course, the two royal guests sitting across from her. The king, lacking his rather loud crown, sat exactly opposite to her eyes… A wide grin overtaking his face. Beard still perfectly sculpted and still reminding her of the shape of a flame. She gulped. To his right, was the prince. The Admiral of Westergard, dressed in his finest naval blues, also sans obnoxious hat. Of course she couldn't avoid her eyes from meeting his. The instant they met, if only a thousand words could be said with a single glance. She cleared her throat, his gloved fingers awkwardly fidgeted.

"Good morning, gentlemen, I gather you rested well?" she took a deep breath, everyone nodding and smiling with agreement, Hans doing everything in his power to not turn red. "Good." She smiled, also trying her best to compose herself. "Then, shall we go on about this, alliance?" What followed were a flurry of deep voices and deep opinions. They spoke in great detail about the war brewing in the south. How it began with the lands of the west aggressively seeking territory to conquer followed by years of conflict involving raids, blockades, and invasions at sea. Elsa grew more worried by the many stories of bloodshed now racing up quickly to her shore lines.

"And that is how my son discovered your fleet under attack from our enemies' ships." Spoke the king, his voice booming without effort. "I'm afraid all your vessels were destroyed, but thankfully our men were skilled enough to rescue all survivors. Now the violence is inching closer, and we have all agreed that so far there hasn't been any defenses set up for Arendelle in decades." They all nodded in agreement like birds, it was amusing to Elsa how every man in the room seemed to be under his control simply by the sound of his voice. "Now is the time. We've all put our demands on the table, and I think everyone will be happy with the outcome. We will help you build up your army and naval capabilities. My son will oversee all training of new recruits and the building of your ships, and counsel the men you have already placed in command. I will, personally, oversee all other preparations of your army and provide you with anything I can, my queen." He smirked. "I promise your shores will remain untouched and pure…" his eyebrow raised. Elsa was taken aback by the wave of heat that suddenly wafted in the air. "I also promise to pay you back for your immense generosity in housing my men, my son, and I in your glorious home while we work, in tenfold. Your sister's wedding celebration come summer will truly be the grandest these halls have ever seen." he beamed. "I promise you will hardly notice our presence as you prepare, unless, you command it so." Everyone chuckled, except for one, who grew more quiet and withdrawn the longer the conversation went on. She pretended to laugh awkwardly.

"Ah, yes, ahem." She cleared her throat. "Well, if we are all in agreement, shall we draw up the papers and get to signing them, yes?" more nods, more grunts. "…I would also like to make a few statements." She began to stand up, gently sorting out the massive pile of articles and pages from books in front of her. "I would like to release the admiral from my order of escort, on the grounds that it would interrupt him from his important work. I'll need him free from any distractions, preparing my sailors for possible war is of the utmost importance." She looked down as her gloved fingers tapped papers in place.

"…Thank you, your majesty, that is very generous of you. You have my thanks." Hans managed, piercing through the awkward silence. All men glared intensely toward his direction. He slumped back into his chair. The king chuckled.

"Do not worry my new friends, he is as harmless as a hare in a patch of posies." He laughed louder, the rest of the men following suit. Hans's eyes darkened and he looked down at his hands. Elsa felt a large pit grow inside her belly. She coughed.

"Gentlemen, this meeting is adjourned. "she sternly commanded, gathering up all her paperwork with one quick sweep of her arm, some frost floating into the air.

"My queen?" asked the king, rising from his seat. "Is there anything needed in help for the banquet tonight? I trust you received my gift?" he happily chimed, everyone staring at him once more. Elsa looked up coldly and with her eyes, challenged his authority.

"All preparations are taken care of, please, enjoy yourself for the time being and let my staff do the work. And yes, thank you for your little present." She firmly gripped her arms around her notes. "I promise, we will celebrate your arrival and miraculous feats of bravery in ways that will make you proud." She managed to gag out, perfectly executing it into a perfect lie. "Now, if you excuse me, I have work of my own to attend to before the party." She tried her hardest to gather her train in one hand, and balance all of her paperwork in the other, and promptly make her exit, chin high in the air. Not making any eye contact with that man, or Hans… She finally took in a sigh of relief once she turned the corner, ignoring the calls of her name from her staff. UGH, she thought, Can I please just have one second to myself? Not noticing the tiny feet hiding under the drapes she stood next to, a small sneeze startled her so much, she sent her papers flying in every direction.

"Oh gosh, Elsa! I'm so sorry! I was only trying to hear what you were talking about!" Anna immediately went to the floor and tried to gather up whatever she could. Elsa just stood there and groaned into her hands.

"…What happened? What's wrong? I heard a couple things this morning and I'd figured you'd be so happy!"

"Happy!?" shouted Elsa, throwing her hands in the air. "Happy!?"

"…What?" Anna slowly stood back up, giving up on the papers. "…Did… last night not go so well?" she hesitantly asked. Elsa quickly glared at her. Anna hissed, and played with her fingers, laughing and unable to look her in the eye.

"Yeah ok so I know, what I did, was really…" she looked into Elsa's eyes and gulped, she shouldn't have looked. "REALLY stupid. But hear me out!"

"Oh Anna…" she groaned again.

"I only did it because I thought facing your fears would be good for you!"

"You're in no place to consider what's good for me!" Elsa yelled. Anna whimpered.

"…I really thought yelling at him and getting it out of your system would help you feel better…" Elsa's glare softened… and her eyes started to drift. Anna forced a chuckle. "I also kinda hoped you'd really let him have it." Elsa suddenly blushed. "…What? You know… Yell at him so hard he'd run away like a puppy? Like that one time you accidentally scared that puppy? And he ran away and peed himself, and I thought to myself gee wouldn't that be hilarious if it happened to Hans?" Anna blinked, waiting for a response. Elsa awkwardly laughed.

"Oh uh, yeah, I really… gave it to him alright." Her eyes widened as her awkward laughter turned more forced and weird. Anna stood back, confused.

"So… Then…..? What's wrong, didn't that help just a little? Did he not suffer enough? We still gonna have fun tonight?" she asked. Elsa's fake laughter quickly soured, and she sadly stared at the floor.

"Anna… I'm afraid that the king has grown…. Fond of me." Anna held back her giggles and clapped only once. Stopping herself from making a scene.

"I heard, I heard he gave you all that stuff, isn't that fantastic!?" she bounced. Elsa looked up, almost about to cry. Anna stopped bouncing.

"No… It's not fantastic. I mean… Doesn't he have a queen already!?" Elsa asked.

"No. Sadly his second marriage wasn't long, according to Hans his mother passed away during childbirth." Anna's words echoed in the stillness. They made Elsa feel so much worse.

"Oh… How very sad…" she sighed… Looking away.

"But Elsa, hasn't the king been so kind to you? You don't want to be rude." Elsa paused, and bit her lower lip.

"Anna he's old enough to be OUR father, I just… can't even think about it!"

"Oh… yeah right, yeah… Huh… Didn't think about that." Anna held her chin in her hand and tapped her foot. "That is a little creepy the more I think about it."

"Anna, for me, please, I still don't trust him." Elsa took her hands into her own and grasped them. "I know the whole kingdom wants a king by my side right now, but honestly I really only need you." Anna squealed and hugged her sister as hard as she could.

"Oh Elsa, you're the best. Don't worry, I promise I won't let anyone come between us." She giggled as she rocked back and forth. Elsa smiled and gently patted her back.

"That's, not exactly what I meant…" she laughed.

"Whatever, anyway, I love you and I just wanted to eavesdrop before I got changed for tonight. It's going to be such a huge party, so I'm going to need a huge dress!" Anna sang as she let go and jumped towards the stairwell. "Oh! Opps, I forgot." She bowed gracefully. "Good morning your majesty." She laughed again. "Bye byes, see you in a bit!" Elsa smiled and waved back, laughing silently to herself. I love you too, she thought as Anna raced down the stairs. She really didn't know what she'd do without her… And sighed remembering that she could be leaving come summer, if she wanted to anyway… And who could blame her for wanting to go on an adventure with her new husband. She stood silently at the top of the stairs, her mind swirling like mad with thoughts and confusion. What was this incredible mess she found herself in? The thought of her and that proud, over-confident lion made her feel slightly disgusted… She wanted to replace all those images with what she saw this morning… Oh, the thoughts of that admiral and his hat sent happy chills along her skin. She sighed as her mind fell deep into her dream-like memories of the night before. Did it really happen…? She was so deep in thought, she didn't hear the footsteps on the carpeted marble coming up behind her.

"Your… majesty." He whispered softly down into her ear, making her snap out of her trance. She knew that voice and instantly her back straightened, holding her breath. She slowly took in a sigh, and tried to see if her voice still worked.

"…Admiral." She addressed him, voice steady and firm. "Good morning."

"Good morning." He bowed. She could hardly stand the tension, and was only able to look over her shoulder to hide her innermost feelings. "Thank you again for so generously releasing me from the hawk eyes of your guards."

"It was… Nothing, how could you manage to accomplish any work if you were to be constantly pestered?" she held her own hands firmly, trying so hard not to tremble.

"…Point taken, your majesty." He slowly stood back up, his dulled eyes weakly looking into hers. She felt that pain return to her stomach, as she turned around completely to face him. Her eyes watered the longer she tried to find the fire that once lit up those emeralds.

"I… I…" she stammered, looking around to see if they were really alone. She held up her arms in fear. She trembled like a fawn before a fox. He looked around his shoulders, and held out his gloved hand.

"Please, if you'd rather speak in private, it is only a few steps away…"he pleaded. She hesitantly held up her tiny fingers to his wide palm, and gently he caressed her hand. Pulling her hand under his arm, she allowed herself to grip into his firm bicep as he escorted her down the hallway. As she stared up at his face, she found herself lost in her thoughts again as they moved silently in the shadows. Finding an unoccupied, small room, they entered, and he quickly shut the doors. He also double checked for a lock.

"Hans…" she gasped. "I'm so… sorry. I don't know what else to say…" He turned to face her, his eyes more focused.

"You have nothing to apologize for my queen. Please, I just wanted to ask you one thing." Elsa bit her lower lip.

"What would that be…?" Stepping forward, he reached for her hand, and held it up to his lips.

"Would you do me the honor, of allowing me to escort you tonight, to the banquet?" he kissed the velvet of her glove. She trembled harder as her pale cheeks flushed with pink, her other hand held up to her face in surprise. An awkward silence followed as he stood before her, caressing her hand and slowly dying the longer she left him without an answer. She swallowed.

"As lovely as that sounds, admiral, I have to reluctantly decline…" the words poisoned the air around them as they left her mouth. He let go of her hand, and sighed deeply and turned away. "No… Hans, please understand…"

"I understand completely." He mumbled. Her cool hand quickly found his shoulder, and turned him to face her again, Elsa's eyes filling with small tears.

"No you do not." She hissed. "You have no idea what kind of position I'm in right now, and the pressure being put on my shoulders!"

"And I was a fool to think you'd forgiven me after last night!" Hans shouted back, holding his hand up to his chest, his eyes watering back. She blinked slowly. …Was she to believe that he was truly serious with the words he said to her?

"That's not it, at all…"she whimpered and shook her head.

"Then what is it?!" he shouted, frowning and clearly frustrated, taking a deep breath through his nose.

"…I'm frightened!" she shouted back. "This is all happening so fast! Hans, please! All I know is what I want, is wrong, and what everyone else wants is insanity to me! And if I make any mistakes, lives are at stake, and my parent's kingdom, and honor…" she began to softly cry, unable to speak anymore. His expression immediately softened, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. Slowly starting to reel in his mind and try and see from her point of view.

"Shh.. . I apologize my queen, my last wish is to give you more tears…" he softly stroked her back, trying to comfort her.

"Kiss me…" she commanded, crying deeply into chest.

"…What…?" he asked, slightly shocked.

"Do what your queen asks of you; you are now under my orders are you not?" her hands now gripping the large collar of his coat tightly, her cold eyes piercing into his and left him weak in the knees.

"As you command, your majesty." He grunted, as he swiftly pulled her into a dip with his strong arms, and gently pressed her lips onto his. As their mouths met like waves crashing into the shore, Elsa closed her eyes and ran her fingers through his hair, accidentally frosting the edges of his sideburns. Taking the lead this time, and taking in what he taught her from before, she pressed upwards and forced his back against the wall, forcing a groan out from his throat. As more frost began to circle around them and etched into the floor, she released all her pent up energy and kissed him as if it were her last. Hans could only brace himself against the wall with his hand, trying not to fall while eagerly pressing back against her. She was a very quick learner, taking short breaks to gently tease his ears and neck, and the back to his delicious mouth. They gasped as she kissed harder still, her one hand twisting into his red locks, the other now clenching tightly to his arm. It was if he was breathing in a scorching sauna, steam pouring into his lungs. He began to grow dizzy, the more he tasted her sweet and gentle tongue. His legs grew weaker, and had a harder time concentrating. Elsa, feeling him grow limp in her hands, pulled away to see how red his face was turning, almost more than his wet hair. She looked all around and noticed a cloud of vapor swirling around them, and she gasped. Quickly waving her hand, she turned the steam back into snow and flakes gently fluttered to the ground. Hans panted and laughed, clutching his hand to his lungs, slowly regaining his footing. "My, how you take my breath away…" he coughed. "Sorry, I know, that was terrible." Elsa laughed, slightly embarrassed at her lack of self-control.

"Not as sorry as I am." She smiled shyly as she took her icy touch to his burning forehead. Looking deep into his green eyes, she felt at ease once she saw that gentle sparkle again. A warm smile stretched across his freckled red cheeks. "…I really am, truly… Sorry. Hans." She spoke softly, slowly reaching for his hand and gripped his fingers. He looked down at her tender touch, and she looked at his scar again… Wanting to take his pain away…. She leaned in and kissed it tenderly.

"Everyone kept trying to get a piece of the prince." He cut the silence like a sword. "The shamed boy of the legendary war hero…"he spat. "By the time I was thrown back on that bucket of a ship, I had already been pushed closer to the edge than I thought possible. The next time someone thought they could just…" he paused, closing his eyes and beginning to slightly tremble. "They had a chance of getting the better of me, I bit back. And this was the payment I received. But it was worth it. "He clenched his fists tightly. "It was worth it to return to where I belonged. To gain my self-respect back, brick by painful brick, to be in the clutches of the sea once more. To somehow, being in the right place at the right time, to find my way back to you…" Elsa paused as his words sank in… Loosing herself in his stare. She started to feel dizzy too.

"Hans, I rejected your request earlier… Not because of what you think… But because, I can't cave into pressure now when the world is watching my every move. I need to prove to everyone that I can carry onward and care for my family's legacy with my own hands, no one else's… I want to stop the voices telling me I'm not strong enough to be a queen without a king…" Hans withdrew slightly, holding onto both her hands, unable to look her directly in her stunning blue sapphires. "But that doesn't mean, I don't long for company… That doesn't mean I want to be completely alone. I asked you once before, I'll ask you again. Admiral, I know you will teach my men how to sail, but can to you teach me how to love spring?" He held his breath and immediately placed his hands on her soft face and kissed her.

"As you command my queen Elsa." He whispered, kissing her again. She threw her arms around his neck as they wrapped themselves up in each other, gasping and groaning softly as they passionately tasted each other. As her mind began to get lost in white heat again, Elsa tried to catch herself from falling in too deep. Suddenly gasping for hair, she held onto his shoulders and broke their seal. He panted harder, making the medals on his jacket ring.

"I know I said no to you being my escort, but, promise me you'll save me a dance for tonight?" her shy voice pleaded, afraid of his answer. He laughed at how adorable she was, his hands softly rubbing her shoulders.

"Of course I will my sweet dear lady…" he smiled and warmly kissed her hands. "Such a simple request." Her eyes sparkled.

"It's not to me…" she sighed. "I know what's expected of me later, and all I want to do is be in your arms."

"In that case I will have to do my best to stay in your eyesight until the night is through, and if you wish, I will dance with you all the way to my bed chamber when no one else is watching." He whispered deeply in her ear, running his hand up the small arc of her back, sending shivers up and down her spine. She closed her eyes as she blushed crimson, feeling the heat come back to her chest.

"Admiral Westergard…" she breathed, opening her eyes again and getting completely lost in his burning stare. "I admit…" she tried to catch her breath. "I miss that silly hat." She giggled. He couldn't help but blush and begin to laugh with her.

"You like that silly thing huh?" he chuckled, quickly kissing up and down her neck while he had the chance.

"Not as much as I enjoyed the way you worshiped your goddess…" she bit her lower lip, her hands suddenly gripping onto his solid rear, and frosting the seat of the pants. He shouted at the sudden sensation and her tight grip, eyes widening.

"Elsa!" he laughed. "Guess I have to… get changed for tonight then..."he smirked. She reached down and slowly began to unbuckle his belt. He blushed deeply at her act of bravery.

"Just, to help get you started…" she smirked back, kissing his cheek deeply, her fingers reaching downward and rubbed into the coarse material of his pants, groping his growing erection. He coughed and quickly grabbed her hands. Shaking all over, he held her hands tightly and away from his hips. She couldn't help but giggle, realizing the power she was gaining over him, enjoying it a little too much. He nervously laughed back.

"As much as I admire your eagerness, I reluctantly decline your offer." He raised his eyebrow and smirked devilishly.

"So that's how it's going to be." Elsa licked her bottom lip and crossed her arms, laughing with glee. "All the more to look forward to when the moon rises…" she coyly stepped towards the door, pulling down her braid and letting it fall as she walked. He watched as he tried to contain his spirit and readjust his pants… not noticing his mouth hanging open as she opened the door, gently stroking her hip with her hand. "At ease, Admiral." She smiled and blushed, quickly stepping away from the door as she disappeared into the hallway. All the while gleefully laughing to herself like a child. Nothing the mess of papers still on the floor, Elsa was relieved to know no one else had been around to see them. Using her powers, she conjured up a quick wind to whirl the papers into pile for her to catch mid-air. Still beaming and smiling, not noticing the happy snowflakes that followed her every step. Hans watched from behind, hiding up against the hallway doing his best to not be seen. He couldn't help but feel at ease as he watched Elsa disappear, never seeing her so cheerful before. He also found it difficult to quell that persistent… spirit of his.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The clinking sound Kristoff made with his salad fork on the empty champagne glass began to make Anna twitch.

"…Kristoff." She scowled.

"What? This is boring. I'm bored. The fork is bored." He continued, people now staring. Anna 'gently' elbowed his very wide shoulder; making his chair jump and making him slightly wince. He stopped. "Sorry."

"It's ok handsome." She smiled, taking a moment to fix his sculpted blonde hair. He blushed very brightly. He pulled at his collar and ties with his gloved hands, and fidgeted. Her love for him glowed brighter than all the candles surrounding every inch of the grand hall. The banquet being so large, their usual ballroom was too small. Extending out into several grand parlors of the palace, the immense celebration had extra tables set up for as many guests as possible in the square. Anna bounced with glee in her chair, not being able to see absolutely everything, but happily overwhelmed at the size of everything. Even the sashes and chandeliers where oversized, not remembering at all where any of these things came from. And not caring. Grand golden centerpieces filled to the brim with full scarlet roses blocked everyone's view. And the stunning ball gowns and handsome suits danced and shone brighter than the stars beginning to peak through the sunset. Anna had never seen or felt anything so powerful in her whole life, matching only that moment when she first saw her sister's castle of pure ice. The harder she thought, the more she realized that Elsa would probably…. Really hate this party. Especially with the two red heads sitting nearby, she quickly glared over Kristoff's large shoulder pads.

"…What is it, is that ginger bothering you again? Want me to punch em?" he grinned. "I could do some punching." He nodded with pride. Anna giggled.

"No no, I'm fine. It's just…" Kristoff stopped smiling as Anna looked off to the side. "It's Elsa. I'm getting a little worried about her. I'm thinking maybe she's taking this all harder than I am. She's acting weird, I can't figure it out."

"Well that's nothing new." Anna scoffed and gently elbowed him again, Kristoff smirking.

"Not, funny!" she smirked. "You know what I mean. Plus I think she's getting stressed out, especially… About…"

"The king having the hots for her?"

"Hey!" Anna tried not to shout, and quickly shushed him. "And… Yes!" She glared back over his shoulder, trying not to be noticed. She glared at the king's crown. Did he shine it or something? She'd swear it was twice as shiny tonight. She shook her head. "You know, I'm starting to get suspicious myself." Kristoff shrugged, and his bored eyes scanned the empty plates before them, but suddenly eyed a small bowl of salad. On top where a small pile of baby carrots. "I mean, she hates like, all human contact anyway, but, still…" Kristoff pretended to listen as he reached forward slowly, ignoring anyone watching. "And it would make sense if she was still, so so mad, because I mean, he left me! He almost committed murder! Wait, why am I not more upset about this?" As Anna's eyes followed Kristoff's hands… He quickly grabbed a handful of salad and swiftly shoved the carrots and pieces of lettuce in his pocket. "…Did you seriously just do that?"

"Not my fault Sven wasn't invited." He folded his arms and looked out the window, thinking of his buddy hanging out in the castle gardens, being spoiled and pampered like a royal steed. "I even made him a little flower crown for his antlers, and a tie…" Anna sighed and rolled her eyes, laughing silently to herself. Kristoff smiled and reached for her hand, caressing her tiny fingers gently. "I think we're doing ok, because well, think about it…" they smiled into each other's eyes. "I'm actually happy you're going to marry me instead." he blushed. Anna gasped as she turned redder than her hair and threw her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek over and over.

"I love you so much." She smiled in between pecks. He laughed and let her smother him, not caring at all the scene she was making.

"I love you too." He laughed, beaming with pride. Off to the side, sitting by the king were the heavily decorated and flashy sailors of his fleet. They all laughed at the couple, teasing them and occasionally demanding for more drinks. Hans tried his best to keep them on their best behavior, not indulging in anything before the toast. He rolled his eyes and couldn't help but notice Anna… Her happiness was impossible to not notice. He was happy she was happy, he really was. But the guilt of his past actions still weighed heavy on his conscience. As he slumped back in his chair, he rested his impatient cheek on his fist, elbow firm. His free hand tapped his fingers and he shifted in his boots. The ridiculously long feather from his obnoxiously large white hat dangled in front of his face. He took a breath and whistled it out of his view. His father looked down at him, dressed from the top of his crown to the tips of his boots in regal red and gold, long feather trimmed cape cascaded onto the floor. He smirked and shrugged, and looked back onto the sea of people before his feet. He was clearly in his happy place, just like everyone else it seemed like.

She insisted on no trumpets, but they played anyway, as she slowly made her approach to the entrance to the grand ball. She hesitated to step into the golden rays of light from the comfortable cold shadows. She took in a very, very deep breath, and composed herself. As she stepped forward, she could hear them announce her name and title, etc. But she was so overtaken by the warmth and color of the sparkling dream before her; all sound seemed to fade away. Hans immediately sat up in his chair, both his gloved hands gripping the arms of his chair so hard it made the whole thing jump. Everyone was too busy being in shock to even notice a gentleman dropping and breaking a glass. The room became so still, everyone decided to hold their breath. Elsa blushed even harder as she stepped further in… Coming into full view… Hans thought his eyes would fall out of his head.

Before the world stood the most powerful queen they had ever seen, wearing something no one would EVER expect to see her in. The king laughed silently with joy, great confidence shooting out from his curling grin. Her white braid was pulled up high on her head, decorated with many layers of pink and white shades of ribbon, a few flowers dancing in her curls. She wore a small pink feather hat, pinned securely in her large up do, a soft pink lace collar necklace, decorated with pearls, kissed her pale skin. She sparkled before them like frost in the moonlight, her grand pink ball gown silently danced across the floor. A large train of white and pink lace followed her large bustle of white and pink fabric. Across her chest and waist were large soft pink bows, and her neckline plunged deeply, exposing more cleavage than she was used to. As she walked by, people softly gasped to themselves, noticing all the small pink pearls sewn into the pink and white striped fabric that hugged her curves perfectly. To say she felt uncomfortable was the understatement of the year. She closed her eyes as she made her way to her seat, by this time her cheeks were rosier than her dress. She kept her tiny hands folded in front of her, wearing sheer white lace gloves that ended at her wrists.

Her royal guards practically stepped over each other as they reached for her seat, one gentlemen on each side helping her with her dress as she squeezed in. As she pulled in closer, she smiled wide, pretending this was just a rehearsal for her sister's wedding. She was proud of herself for doing as well as she did, walking in those heels was unbearable. But she did not fall. Once. She trembled uncontrollably however the longer the silence turned into fog, a man coughing echoed through the corridors. She turned crimson. Anna's mouth was still hanging open. Elsa did her best to hold up her glass in a toast as hundreds of perfectly dressed servants came swarming into the hall, filling everyone's empty glasses to the brim with golden bubbles. She spoke out, thanking her sailors personally for their sacrifice, survival, and prosperity and smiled at their table, their glasses raised high in return with their families crying with joy. The more she spoke, the more the rooms filled with warmth and happiness, remembering why they were all gathered there. To thank the king, and the admiral, for the miracle of saving the lives of her kingdom's sailors, and to celebrate the new alliance between their two kingdoms. Her whole kingdom sang together in unison as they toasted to this spectacular evening. The feast beginning for all. Elsa looked down at her hands and smiled, proud of herself for staying strong despite her fears of public speaking. Anna smiled with pride too. As the waves of laughter, songs, music, and love echoed throughout the walls of Arendelle, Hans could barely keep his attention on the glorious plates of food before him. He was too consumed by the beauty of the queen to notice the king's possessive glare.

"My son." Snapped the king, breaking him out of his trance. "Be sure to introduce yourself to the Duchess I told you about earlier." Taking his glass, he gulped down his champagne with one swig, and burped loudly.

"…Yes, father…" he tried not to say sarcastically, reaching for his glass as well, taking a much needed sip. As soon as this meal was through, he was making for the door, he promised himself. He knew as soon as someone else had their claws in him around the king, his night was over. He focused back on his meal as he brainstormed. The king demanded another bottle of champagne for the table.

Finally, course after course, the feasting was over, people eager to dance and get out of their seats. Elsa barely ate anything, Kristoff easily cleaning off his plate, and Anna's, and Elsa's. She was so happy she at least got to sit next to Anna and her wonderful fiancé. They made her laugh and feel so at ease, without them there for her to confide in, she wouldn't have made it. They had way too much fun making fun of Hans's hat as well, Elsa throwing her head back in loud laughter as Kristoff questioned the size of the bird that feather came from. Hans looked up and watched her laugh like he never heard before… Her eyes finally meeting his after all this time. That incredible smile she thought. Her cheeks blushing more the longer her sapphires locked into his emeralds. Every second of staring into her, he never once took for granted, his smile growing wider, his eyes sparkling harder. He leaned in closer and winked. Elsa felt a tickling flutter in her chest and she laughed some more, this time holding up her hand to her lips. Anna looked back over her shoulder again, and couldn't help but look in Elsa's direction. The king blocked her view… No, Anna thought, there was no possible way Elsa was flirting with the king. But the more Elsa giggled shyly, the more Anna became confused. Hans could barely stand it any longer, and started to excuse himself from the table. But he was interrupted by his very loud father.

"I demand we begin some dancing, yes?" he boomed, standing from the table, holding his hand up high in the air. He laughed joyfully. "We need to get this party really started!" he cheeks turning into cherries from all the champagne. He then turned to face Elsa, smirking wildly. "My queen, shall we?" holding out his sweaty leathered palm, he walked to her table, his body language commanding her attention. She turned whiter than she normally was, and gulped. She didn't have a choice, and grew silently angry for being put on the spot. Without smiling, she stood slowly, and sighed. Closing her eyes, and turning her head to the side, she held out her hand weakly. Anna watched in shock at her cold reaction to the king's demands. He simply chuckled. "Feisty as always, your majesty, the dance floor awaits."

The band began to play their lovely strings as the king fiercely swept the queen onto her feet, holding her tiny hand in his, and gripping his heavy palm into her thin waist. She felt awkward as he wouldn't even allow her to step properly, he was in completely command of the dance and she was helpless. He swung her around like a rag doll, and she coughed as she tried to keep up with him. He pulled her in, squeezing her bust tightly against his itchy coat, and she grimaced at the smell of the alcohol reeking from his breath. Tripping slightly on his regal cape, he almost dropped her as he dipped her again, but more dramatically. She felt completely foolish and turned redder than his coat, cape, crown, and beard all together. Someone, anyone, please kill me, she thought.

"You look quite, RAVISHING." Shouted the king over the loud music, spraying her cheek with saliva. She winced, noticing up close just how huge his nose really was.

"Thank you… Your majesty, you look quite regal yourself." She lied. And tried to fake a smile.

"I am thrilled you wore one of my dresses." He chuckled, dipping her away from him, trying to get a better view down her chest. She frowned and tried to pull away her hand.

"It's not for reasons you'd think." She smirked as he refused to let her go. Still dancing drunkenly, despite the music stopping.

"Phhhhshaww!" he spat. "You play so hard to get your majesty, you only make the game more…" he attempted to spin her, but instead just awkwardly threw her forward and back again, her hair starting to fall out of place. "Interesting!" he bellowed and laughed. She couldn't take it anymore. Looking down at the floor, she quickly shot a thin layer of ice behind his clunky feet. She then swiftly shoved him backward, and he instantly lost his footing. Crashing to the ground, she stepped back and laughed down at red fool.

"Opps, you fell down! Sorry, well once you fall the dance is over. And you definitely fell, so, bye." She laughed, waving her hand down at him and then flying away as fast as her little heels could take her. The king, dumbfounded, was too embarrassed to say anything and yelled angrily at the servants who tried to pick him up. He stormed off to the side as people laughed, demanding another glass of wine. Elsa tried her best to blend in with the crowd, but so many wanted to bow to her and thank her. Oooh boy, she began to panic. Where is her sister? Where is Kristoff? Where is a friendly, familiar face? As more eyes pointed in her direction, the more she felt herself building up anxiety. She looked back at the dance floor, as people began to fill it up and more music began to flow into the air. The sun now completely set, the sky was purple and sparkled with sequins. As she watched the crowd dance in unison, she saw Kristoff spinning Anna like a ballerina, their laughter quite loud. She smiled and sighed. They danced so beautifully together, knowing exactly how the other would move, and moved in perfect rhythm. She wanted that so badly… Her happy eyes now starting to weaken, she continued to search the crowd. Moving slowly from room to room, her fluttering heart grew more nervous, the longer she went without seeing that tall white hat. After time had passed, and she grew more and more anxious, she sighed with frustration and pushed her way out onto a balcony. Stepping out into the refreshing cold night air, she sighed deeply and leaned down on the cool stone railing. Growing tired of staring at the starlight, she closed her eyes.

"Your majesty…" breathed Hans. Standing behind her, just like he did earlier that morning, too afraid to touch her and startle her. He kept his hands behind his back as he bowed to her, Elsa blushing brightly. She quivered at the sight of him towering over her, dressed in his absolute finest. White uniform, trimmed in power blue and silver, a few of his most prized medals hanging from jacket. A powder blue ascot was tucked neatly in his collar, and a pink rose was now pinned to his lapel. He held up the only white rose he could find on the grounds to his queen, and his freckled cheeks glowed like the candlelight. She grinned from ear to ear, unable to conceal her warm glow. She gently took the rose from him, and held it up to her lips and giggled.

"Admiral Westergard, pleasure to see you this evening." She smiled, looking up at his ridiculous hat again, giggling. He continued blushing and looked up, and laughed in return. "Just how many of those silly things do you have?"

"Five, actually." He smiled down, reaching up to try and flick the feather out of his face, making her laugh harder. She reached up and touched the feather, freezing it into place so it would stop falling. "Much better, thank you." He sighed happily, once again losing himself in her eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Awkward silence passed for a minute, but it felt like an hour. Elsa grew shyer and looked down at her new gift, twirling the long stemmed rose in her porcelain fingers. He looked down as well, wanting ever so much to hold those hands. Right as he was about to speak, the silence was interrupted by the sudden screeching of rockets flying into the violet evening sky. Spiraling into stardust, they erupted in window-shaking booms and filled their world with a rainbow of colors. Elsa turned and gasped with joy, not expecting the fireworks to be this stunning in person. She had read about them in so many of her stories… Her smile brightened with wonder as more flashes of bright greens, oranges, and purple lights blinded the shore line. Hans didn't once look up to the concert above him. He thought to himself, the miracle of the rose standing beside him, opening up into true bloom, was more beautiful than anything he's ever seen before. More than the radiant sunsets at sea after a storm. Up close, he was able to admire the smaller details of her breath-taking gown, obviously more commonly seen around his side of the country. Especially so many pearls… His eyes followed down her back… and down to her bustle He became lost in thought and shook his head to try and focus. Standing up strait again, he cleared his throat and straitened his collar.

"Your majesty." He tried to speak over the loud commotion overtaking Elsa's senses. She smiled back up into his gaze, her heart lightly jumping once she remembered the prince standing immediately beside her. "I… I must say." He cleared his throat again. "You look particularly beautiful this evening, not that you didn't already take my breath away this morning…" he blushed and laughed nervously, Elsa holding up her flower again to hide her grin. "I didn't guess you to like that kind of fashion." He turned red as he tried to not insult her. "B-but I mean, you have great taste in anything you wear. Or don't… Wear…" he couldn't stop himself even if he tried. "I uh, sorry, I feel awkward. Not that you're awkward, you're gorgeous. Wait…" he was having déjà vu. Elsa relished in his torment, but didn't want to make him suffer. Despite this, she couldn't control her laughter.

"Why thank you… You look wonderful yourself, you clean up very nicely." she managed, as they began to walk slowly forward, still occasionally looking up at the sky to watch the celebration among the stars. "…I actually picked this gown with you in mind."

"Oh, is that so my queen? I am… honored." He beamed. He slowly reached for her hand, and with a shaking grasp, wrapped her delicate hand around his arm. Elsa took her white rose and tucked it into the bodice of her gown.

"…This was the only thing I could find in my entire wardrobe that had anything related to the sea." She smiled, looking out onto the fjord as they turned the corner on the balcony… The music slowly fading away, the fireworks slowly becoming more disinteresting. The both looked out onto the water, and watched the numerous grand wooden ships gently sway with the tide. "Honestly Hans…" she sighed. "I used to really hate it." They continued to walk slowly further away from the party.

"That's understandable." He remembered having a similar conversation with her younger sister, which felt like a lifetime ago. "With… what happened… I don't blame you at all."

"But now… When I look at those waters… Not only do I feel sadness, but I grow more worried about what tomorrow could bring." Hans tried his hardest to not remember the violence that seemed to follow his family with every step.

"When I look out onto those waters, I feel freedom." He smiled warmly, filling her chest with a glow to match her face, replacing any negative thoughts as fast as he could. "For so many years I thought my place was on a throne. But once I found myself back out there, I knew it was where I truly belonged…" looking out onto his fleet, he swelled slightly with pride. "Out there, you don't have to answer to anyone, just her."

"…Her?" she asked with curiosity. Hans laughed.

"Mother ocean. You better listen too, she is terribly harsh." He smiled and stopped, not being able to contain himself any longer. He grasped bother her hands into his and pulled her closer, forcing Elsa to hold her breath. "But, as strong and often merciless she can be… She is twice as breath-taking, and will always make me smile every morning. Especially on the bad days." Elsa ignored everything that could possibly distract her from this moment. All she could do was smile endlessly, her cheeks starting to grow numb. She let it all go and gripped her fingers into his, not wanting to release her grip for the rest of the night. Hans, seizing the moment, quickly swept Elsa off her feet and spun her in place with one arm. She gasped and tried to not fall flat on her face, and let his hands guide her in a perfect circle. "I believe I owe you one dance?"

"Indeed you do!" she grasped his hand tighter with excitement growing within her. But she hesitated. "…But, we can't hear the music…" she paused and then smirked up at his suddenly confused blank stare. "You should sing me something."

"Me? Sing?" he chuckled, reaching in and placing his left hand on her small waist lightly, his right confidently holding out her left arm.

"Surely you know a few songs from your adventures?" she eagerly pulled herself closer to his chest, her hand gripping tighter into his. He slowly began to ease her into a silent waltz.

"Well, I suppose I know a few…" he paused for a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Elsa melting more and more with every second, starting to believe in a new kind of magic she never felt before. It was just so unbelievably warm… And once he began to sing a melody of a lonely soul out on the blue, his sweet lady fair waiting for him at the harbor, Elsa's feet began to turn the balcony into a glistening dance floor. Sparkling icicles and swirling frost decorating every surface, leaving their feet free to glide without worry of slipping. Their waltz slowly growing more dramatic, Hans sweeping her into dips, and catching her with little effort. They made their own music as they danced into an open room, Elsa leaving glowing patches of ice with every footstep. Running down a small staircase, they danced their way down to the gardens near the grand ball room. Close enough to hear the murmurs of laughter, but far away enough to dance their cares away in the growing moonlight. Ending his song, they both lightly panted as he spun her around and over towards a stone mossy bench. He held out her hand as he helped her with her dress as she sat down. She caught her breath, and closed her eyes, wishing she could stop all time. She even began to question if this was reality.

"…Hans?" she softly asked as he sat next to her, wanting to wrap his arm around her back, but hesitated… and let his hands tap his knees instead. It took all her strength to not kiss him. She was losing her control with each passing minute. "How long are you… And your father staying?"

"As long as it's needed to assist Arendelle, I promise." He reached out for her hand again. Elsa wanted to ask more about his father's intentions… She grew more suspicious with him the more she thought about everything. But she knew even just mentioning him was ruining one of the best nights of her life. Only matching that of the night before. But this was different… Even the Hans before her now was different than one that made her body burst with fire. She felt the butterflies return as she felt his hand brush up her slender neck, and to her ear, gently caressing her pink cheek and then clutching her chin with his fingertips. "Let's just… Forget about everything and let tonight happen…" he sighed, pulling her in for a much awaited kiss. From this moment forward, he wasn't allowing any other thought other than embracing this enchanting woman fill his mind. All he knew and wanted was this goddess. And he longed for her deeply… Letting his emotions overflow, his couldn't control his fingers as they ran up her back, and passionately kissed harder. Elsa whimpered and wrapped her arms around his strapping neck, tasting him more and wanting more. Smoldering embers began to glow between them as they embraced harder still, fireworks erupting now only for them. Breathing sharply in and out of their noses, their lips barely parted, their hands furiously traveling up and down each other's arms and backs. They could hardly stand it. If anyone had walked by, they would be seeing the slow rise of steam starting to grow in the garden.

"Elsa…" Hans gasped; starting to feel light headed again, his hands stroking the sides of her waist. "I think I need something to drink." He laughed, trying to drop a hint. She laughed back and nodded in agreement.

"I think so too… I'm so sorry."

"Don't be!" he rose, holding out his hand for her to rise along with him. "Please, do not apologize my queen."

"At the very least… I think we could use some more privacy anyway…" she winked, leading him back towards the castle. He felt dizzy again and his smile curled, letting her take him wherever she wanted. They laughed some more like rebellious teenagers as they tip toed their way around drunken gatherings of celebrating soldiers, nobility, and happy families, looking for a parlor that wouldn't draw any attention. Finding a small room, still filled with desserts and random opened bottles of wine and champagne, they quickly snuck in and looked around. No one was really there except a few couples also looking for a place to hide from prying eyes… Too inebriated to even recognize the prince sneaking around and tickling the queen in inappropriate places. Her bubbly giggles were impossible to hide behind her hands as he glided her to a free lounge chair, bending to one knee as she sat back. Before leaving to look for two glasses, the urge to taste her perfect lips was too great. If they had truly been alone, she would've let him take her right then and there… But he ripped away and composed himself. They giggled some more.

"Hold onto that thought, I will be right back…" he practically growled. Elsa fanned herself as she watched him walk quickly, her eyes glued to his backside… She closed her eyes and thought back to what he looked like that morning… when she awoke with him overpowering her bed. "My queen?" her eyes shot back open. She blushed as the prince held up her glass of champagne for her, and they clinked their glasses together for luck. As they slowly finished their refreshment, they talked about the best time of year it was to set sail for lands far east, and west… And how he hoped to maybe travel to newly discovered lands. She was fascinated by his grand sense of adventure, and by not letting his pain hold him back. They finished their third glass as lost track of time… they kept chatting and falling over one another in laughter and in random, but welcomed passionate embraces. Oh, enough is enough Elsa thought, as she felt his eyes travel downward and into her bust. Before he could even attempt to make a grab, she rose to her feet and tried her hardest to pull him up with his arm.

"It's time for bed." She commanded. He eagerly sprung up on his heels and wrapped her arm around his.

"As you wish your majesty." he chimed, practically singing. As they stepped their way forward to the doorway leading out… They heard familiar voices. Elsa's blood suddenly turned back into its normal icy chill.

"Oh, hey Elsa! OH I mean, your majesty!" bowed Anna, laughing like crazy and throwing her arm into the air, clearly at least tipsy. "Looks like you're having fun!" Hans froze into place, unable to turn around. Elsa swallowed hard, and decided running would only make it worse. She turned just in time to see Kristoff enter the room as well. Any shade of pink in her skin was instantly drained.

"Heya Elsa." Spoke Kristoff candidly, his hair a total mess, his jacket completely undone and tie missing. "Hey Hans." They paused in awkward silence. Anna scoffed.

"W-what what is this? Please tell me he's not bothering you." Anna groaned.

"No one is bothering anyone!"Said Elsa, trying her best to keep her cool. Hans quietly tried to slip away without being noticed, or saying a word. Kristoff frowned and grabbed his shoulder.

"You could at least address the princess properly." He spun him around, making him lose his balance.

"I'm sorry, you're right, good evening your majesty, Princess Anna." He quickly bowed, not making eye contact. He needed to bail. "Please excuse me; I was just on my way out."

"Not so fast, mister!" shouted Anna, pointing her finger up into his nose. "I have a few, choice words for you. I think, your hat, is SILLY." She let out a loud HA and crossed her arms. Elsa rolled her eyes.

"Please…" she sighed. "Anna I need to go to bed."

"Let me just escort this fella in the right direction." Said Kristoff, grabbing Hans's arm roughly. He pulled his arm back violently and frowned.

"I can show myself, thank you very much. Goodnight gentleman, princess." He took in a sharp breath. "Your majesty." He quickly turned, his cheeks firing up the more he ignored the anger. But he didn't notice the large foot blocking his way. Hans's eyes widened in terror as he fell fast and forward into the pile of pastries and a large cake waiting for him on the table. The roars of laughter that followed made Elsa's stomach turn, as she watched him slowly pull himself up, his hair and arms dripping with cake.

"Well, that's not exactly the crown you wanted, but it suits you!" laughed Anna, nearly falling to the floor, holding her sides. Hans just stood there in shock, watching everyone stare at him, layers of sugar falling to the floor from his sleeves. Taking his hand to his face to free his eyesight, he grimaced and calmly made his exit. His stomping echoed through the castle hall. Elsa's eyes watered as he held her hands up to her gaping mouth.

"ANNA! KRISTOFF!" she screamed, both of them looking down at their feet as she froze them to the floor. All she could manage to do as she trembled in a rage, tears struggling to let themselves free, was tear her rose from her dress and throw it to the floor, it bursting into powdery snow. "GROW UP!" she screamed once more, as she furiously turned and ran after the mortified admiral. As she followed the footsteps of frosting in the hall, she finally caught up to his back, and attempted to reach for him. His pace was fast and he refused to look back, his fists shaking uncontrollably.

"Do not follow me!" he shouted, turning into a room and slamming the door with a shattering bang. The silence hurt her heart more than his sword ever could at that moment… She stood alone, in the darkness, realizing her night was now through. And her heart sank faster than an anchor. All that was left now… Was to make the long lonely journey to her bed, by herself.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Elsa sat up in her bed, and kicked away the sheets. She just couldn't sleep, no matter how hard she tried. Her bed felt too big for some reason… Hugging her knees close to her chest, she gazed out her open window… The blue moon's light cascading onto the floor. She sighed silently, still able to hear some late night partiers having fun and playing music in the distance. Was the only one in the entire castle who retired for the night? Frustrated at herself, and the entire evening, she dragged herself onto the cool dark floor and into the moonlight. While she paced, she couldn't ignore the persistent pain she felt in her gut. Replaying the events that had unfolded over the past day in her mind; she couldn't help but think about what had happened in her bedroom only just yesterday. And everything else that's happened in between… And how it ended… That awful look in his eyes… She worried if he was still awake and still angry. But those fireworks, and oh that lovely song the admiral sang… She found herself with her arms around her own shoulders, realizing she suddenly burst into dance beyond her control. She stopped herself, and turned to her closet. Despite every inch of her better judgment, she couldn't fight it any longer. For some reason, her heart would refuse her the sanity of forgetting everything he's ever said. There was something so curious about him now; every last detail of his actions left her mind spinning. Especially once she remembered the fire he made her feel from the inside out. No, she thought, she couldn't let it end like this. Not the way it did. She just had to make things right somehow… And this new magic flowing in her was starting to grow too powerful to ignore. Not noticing the glow she was emitting, she flung open the doors and reached for her robe. Feeling the hands of fate guiding her, she quickly looked into her small mirror, and hesitated. Fixing her braid quickly, and looking down at the boring white nightgown… She immediately began to think of a plan.

Negating her slippers, she slipped through the shadowed halls like a breeze. A few happy laughs echoed now and then; she was relieved to see for the most part, everyone was still outside burning as much oil and wood as they could. She continued on her way quickly, taking a shortcut.

A soft orange glow flickered from under the large guest room door. A few footsteps now and then interrupting the light's dance. The shuffling of a chair and papers cut the still air, and then the tapping of a pen continued to pest the overwhelming quiet that didn't want to leave him alone. Hans held his head to his hand, reading his notes carefully, his eyes darting back and forth from articles, to the giant nautical map covering the entire table surface. Little metal ships representing what he was reading, he would occasionally stand up and correct their location. He focused deeply in his work, gradually becoming more concerned by the data he was gathering. Trying his best to distract himself from his headache, he refused to let his mind wander onto another subject aside from his job. Occasionally scratching at the scar decorating his pale cheek, he sighed, and went to scratch at the parchment with his pen instead. Why sleep now when there was a lot he could do to make sure tonight was not a complete waste. His solid concentration was interrupted by a light knock at his door. Looking up from the distraction, he held his breath and tried to not make a sound. Another knock, this time slightly louder. He hesitated to speak, and slowly rose to his feet.

"I… I'm sorry but I'm quite busy at the moment and don't wish to be disturbed." There was a pause.

"I'm sorry for bothering you, admiral, I… I wish you a good night." Elsa started to walk away, back into the abyss of darkness that surrounded her. But the sound of footsteps caused her heart to flutter. And the slow creek of the door opening, made her even smile slightly. She pulled it back in quickly, and took a deep breath. Hans had sat back down in his chair, and remained focused on the map, starting to tap his pen again. Her steps into the warm light were painfully slow, her eyes trying to adjust to the light and warmth of the fireplace glowing to the left. With a small click, she shut the door behind herself, and locked it. Taking a moment to leave another ice lock on the handle. She cleared her throat, staring at the distraught red head doing his best to not look up, his one knee bouncing wildly.

"Unable to sleep, your majesty?" Hans forced out. Still furiously writing more notes and pointless observations. Elsa felt that uneasy fear return to her. Maybe this was a bad idea after all… She found it hard to speak, despite having a million things to say just a minute ago.

"I see you're still awake, as well." She nervously stared at the fire that filled the whole room with an uncomfortable dry heat. Hans sighed heavily.

"Trying to catch up on the orders I should've followed through hours ago." He coughed. Standing only to add more ships to his map. Elsa watched him closely, his body language making her uneasy. She noticed he'd changed into a casual white shirt, and loose tan pants that ended at his bare feet. She ached, not knowing how to express how sorry she was about their night ending in such a catastrophe, without making it any worse. Her eyes began to water as she failed more and more with each passing minute to try and express herself.

"Hans…" she tried to begin, but once he finally made eye contact with her, she began to shudder uncontrollably. "I… I am-"

"Your majesty, I think its best… if you left. You wouldn't want me to be pestered from such important work." Elsa's lips now trembling along with her body.

"No." she managed, now trying her best to remain firm. "No I have something to say." Hans slapped his hand onto the table, making all the little war toys shake and fall.

"I think we've all said enough." His eyes bright with anger. She frowned and walked closer.

"You will let the queen speak!" she shouted, trying her best to keep herself hidden in her dark green robe, it shifting off her shoulders. Hans squeezed his hands to his side and looked away, remaining focused on his anger. He will not be weak. He chose to keep his mouth shut. Elsa now replaced her fear with aggression, she will make him remember. "I want to apologize on behalf of my sister and brother in law." She growled.

"Apologize!? Elsa all you do is apologize when you have NOTHING to apologize for!" he shouted back, his green eyes almost piercing through her glare. "Please! There is nothing left to say!"

"I have a lot to say, trust me!" she challenged him, her face coming closer to his.

"Elsa, there is nothing you can say that will change my mind."

"…What?" her frustration flipping back into fear.

"I…" his firm stance slowly weakened, the more he watched her lips tremble. "I don't deserve you." He sighed, forcing another frown.

"What?!" she gasped.

"We can't keep doing this…" he couldn't look in her eyes anymore. "There is no need for an apology from anyone because, no one is wrong about me. I shouldn't even be here right now." He gripped his hands tightly, and winced. "So, if you please your majesty, please just… Leave me to my work, so I can fulfill my promise of protecting you and your home." He held up his finger pointing to the door. "Now. Please, I beg you; don't make this any harder than it is." Elsa slapped his map with her bare hand and turned the whole war game into ice.

"I am sick and tired, of everyone around me thinking they can decide how I should feel, and think, and behave!" she shouted, taking Hans by surprise and forcing him to step back. "And now you too are getting to decide how I should act? How dare you!" she bellowed, his eyes widening as he fell back into his chair. "No one should EVER dictate to anyone else how they should deal with their pain, especially from the admiral to his queen! And you shouldn't either! You are strong, and brave to come here to face you past. To face me!" She angrily raised her hand to the blazing fireplace and froze it solid, the fire now glowing as perfectly smooth blue glass. Hans's breath quickened as the room turned dark. "You almost killed me! And yet, here I stand, before you, not as a queen… But as a woman!" she began to cry. "And you just, want to let me go, just like that? After everything you said to me? After all we've done? Did I truly not mean anything to you?" she cried harder, wiping the tears away from her cheeks. "You let the fear of what others think take away your happiness?" Hans let the anger fade along with the light, replacing it with regret. She looked down at him as he looked up at her from his seat, pausing to get back on her train of thought and not lose herself again. "I'm done letting what others think get in the way of my happiness…" She stepped back and moved toward the curtains, tearing them open and releasing the bright glow of the huge moon that lit up the black sky. Hans turned his head over his shoulder, and rose back up to his feet. Elsa breathed in gently, closing her eyes, quelling the anger that had overtaken her so easily. She breathed in again, keeping her back turned to him, her hands reaching up for the bow that tied her robe together on her neck. He felt completely powerless as he watched her hands tremble as she untied it.

"Elsa…" Hans began, reaching out his hand, but it was too late. The itchy green woolen cloak cascaded around her bare feet; she held her arms around herself and gently stroked her sides. What was revealed captured the moon light and made the room dance with a sparking glow. She had used her magic to transform her nightgown, into a sparking sheer slip, covered from her at the bottom of her shoulders down to the floor in diamond like jewels of frost. As she moved like a dream, Hans lost all feeling as he fell under her spell. She raised her arms, a cool frosty wind of dancing snowflakes beginning to dance around her, lifting her robe into the air and transformed it into soft purple snow.

"Hans…" she whispered like a dove. "This… is how you make me feel…" her head falling back, her braid unraveling, releasing her silver hair into the wind like water. "I can't explain it, but this is you…" she gasped, her cheeks and chest glowing gently with a soft pink light, the room now beginning to fill with swirls of snow. As she turned to face him, the dancing of lavender tinted flurries gently pushed into Hans's back, guiding him towards her light. Upon closer inspection, Hans could see just how sheer her stunning slip really was… He flushed crimson as she held her hands above her head and let the snow overtake her and make her dance. Her slip now flying up with the breeze, casting more blinding light into his room and exposing more of her porcelain skin. He shuddered as she gasped, her chin pointing up to sky as she wrapped her arms across her exposed soft chest, the thin material dancing away from her. Realizing she was now completely nude, in front of the moonlight, in the middle of his room… she turned almost as red as he was, watching the magical silk melt onto the floor. Opps, she thought, that wasn't exactly supposed to happen… She looked up at him, like a doe to a hunter, slightly panicked to what his reaction would be. She covered herself up as best she could, looking down at her tiny pale feet.

By the time he had reached her within an arm's grasp, he had fallen to his knees as if he was about to pray. He had been completely overtaken by the goddess before him. Powerless to hold back anymore, he reach up to her slowly, his hands eagerly stroking up her thighs and hips, searching for her hands. She reached down, focusing her sapphire eyes deeply into those emeralds, their fire burning intensely. Her fingers reaching his, he gripped her hands tightly as he began to gently cover her curves with feathery light kisses. He let her fingers go only to grip onto her hips again, letting go all of his previous restraints. He sighed longingly into her abdomen as he firmly grasped her rear, forcing Elsa to gasp and grip her fingertips into his burning locks. Looking down at the top of his head, she watched as he swiftly pulled his left arm under her thigh, and lifted her knee onto his shoulder. Before she could react to his steaming breath, he had already begun to worship her again. The heat of his eager mouth overtook her and forced her back to arch sharply, her breasts pointed high. She cried out to the ceiling and closed her eyes, her fingers gripping harder into his head. He winced only slightly as he dug in deeper, his fingers clawing into her luscious body, pulling her hips closer to his chin. There was that amazing build-up of molten lava she felt again, building up far faster this time, making her skin crawl with electricity. She couldn't help but grind back into his rocking head, the room spinning out of control. He then took his fingers and efficiently discovered her new favorite spot, his tongue not stopping for a second.

"HANS!" she wailed, tears streaming down her rosy face, throwing her head back violently as she lost control of her body. The heat exploding so quickly within her, her knees buckled. He quickly caught her as she fell to the floor, stealing a much needed kiss in the process. No longer in control of himself, he swiftly carried her to the couch that sat before the frozen fire, and laid her back, spreading her thighs widely and pressing her back hard into the cushions. She panted and gasped for much needed air as she watched him fall to his knees again and rip his shirt apart, buttons flying in all directions. Ripping it off his chiseled arms, Elsa ran her hands up and down his sides, their eyes never parting. Their hands now wrestled together to swiftly untie his pants, her eyes widening as he released himself from his painful prison. Without wasting another second, his hands gripped around her thighs, and he leaned upward to push his hips towards hers. It took no effort to slide himself in, their hip bones now connecting and grinding. Hans waited to push more, leaning down to passionately kiss his queen and making sure her sweet mouth got plenty of attention. They moaned into each other as he quickly regained his focus, and began his intense rhythm, rocking the entire couch to move back. She forgot how huge he was, she groaned from the slight pain, but he was lost completely to the sensation of the cold kiss of her womanhood. He threw his head back and roared, sweat now pouring down his shoulders and to the top of his rear. It burned his sensitive skin, but the burn was addictive, driving him to go wild. The pressure building up in her was unbearable, her wails matching his predatory calls. Over and over the white heat washed over, her hands grasping at her chest, her fingers pulling at her nipples, trying to mimic the sensation he'd given her before. Watching her hands, he quickly released one of her legs and reached up to help. She sang his name over and over in ecstasy as the world turned into fire.

Panting, she barely noticed as he threw his arms around her back and picked her back up, making sure they were still connected, pressing her tightly to his chest. He then effortlessly tossed her back onto his mattress, thrusting deeper still as she continued to cry out in bliss. Leaning in to taste her again, she gripped into his damp hair again and teased her tongue against his. Gasping for air, he let himself take a moment to take in her radiance, deciding to pick her back up slowly. She whimpered, not wanting him to stop, but was weak against his strong hands… Before she knew it, he was behind her again, but this time, not bending her down. He kept her upright, and pressed his chest to her back, his hands engulfing her breasts, giving her back that amazing sensation. Her mouth grew into a smile the more he playfully pinched and pulled at her hardened pink buds, tweaking and tickling. He smiled back, letting one of his hands reach down behind her, and helped guide his impatient huge growth back into her from behind. Startled, she moaned sharply and opened her thighs more than she thought was possible. Being large enough to manage multi-tasking, his one large hand never leaving her bosom, the other now reaching down to where they connected. His fingertips now stroking her most sensitive and tiniest secret, beginning his thrusts again. He kept surprising her with new sensations, as she lost her voice and simply gasped as his movements became far more aggressive. He grunted harder the more he trusted upward, her body shivering again and again through the waves of fire that erupting within them. His mouth now latched onto the back of her neck, his wet kisses tickling behind her ear, she thought she her body would break from the shattering lighting that struck down her into her hips.

"I… I can't…!" she cried, now feeling the fire burn too hot, more pain starting to creep in as his relentless pounding only grew more intense. Hans opened his mouth with a silent scream, and his eyes closed tighter, and he released his grip, letting her fall forward onto the bed. She gasped as she tumbled into the soft blanket, and looked over her shoulder, as Hans loomed above her, transformed into a beast of flame. His hair dripped over his eyes, his emeralds sparking with brilliance, and he growled deeply from his chest, his skin shining and damp. His hands gripped into her hips tightly, and flipped her onto her back, forcing her to look straight at him. She was so intimidated by the new man that set her all senses ablaze, but her weak body succumbed and submitted. With a loud roar, he grabbed her hands and plunged in as deeply as he could back into her, the burning, ice cold kiss of her insides forcing him to wail. She wailed back in unison, tears sparkling from the edges of her clenched eyes. He suddenly arched his back and released her hands, grabbing onto her flailing thin ankles, and held her open. Pulling her up further onto his thighs, he relentlessly resumed his incredible pace. Elsa, weak from already exploding with fire so many times, still felt those waves build up more and more, surprising herself for being able withstand the force and the pressure. Throwing her arms above her head and thrusting her chest into the air, she let the inferno overflow, her body glowing brightly. Hans's mouth hung open as he groaned endlessly and silently roared over and over, his grip getting tighter and tighter. He held his breath, and as he threw his head back, he struggled to make a sound as he shuddered all over.

This time, instead of falling onto her, he fell backwards, pulling her up on top of him, his hips still grinding. Elsa's mouth gaped open in shock as she felt his hot fluid stream out of her, letting her limp body, sparkling with cold sweat, fall onto his chest. She couldn't even open her eyes; the room was slowly ceasing its spin and allowing her to regain her awareness. But all she could do was allow his strong arms wrap her up in a loving embrace, cuddling her close and nuzzling her face under his chin. How quickly his demeanor changed she thought to herself, as she smiled weakly from exhaustion, holding her arms limply around his shoulders.

"My goddess…?" he gently cooed into her ear, combing her hair out from her face. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" he panted, his hands stroking up and down her back, gently rolling her just slightly to his side. He loved the sensation of her tiny and cold body pressed up to his burning chest, letting her fingers grow patches of ice across his freckled skin. It felt soothing and calmed his boiling blood. She sighed sleepily and happily, and nodded no, unable to speak. She has lost all her strength at this point, and couldn't help herself from starting to fall into slumber. He smiled down at her, and began to cradle her closer as he pulled the blankets over themselves, letting the moonlight wash over them. "Elsa?" he whispered, looking down at her resting on his heart. She breathed silently as she drifted further deeper into her dreams. She couldn't hear him any longer, but she could still feel him… He allowed himself to attempt sleep as well… But he had one tiny thing left on his mind… He couldn't completely rest until he said it. He asked one more time, to see if she was really awake or not. "…Elsa?" No answer. He hesitated, and then kissed the top of her head. "…I love you." He took a deep breath and let his head fall back into his pillow. Closing his eyes, he shut off his mind finally to drift along with her, very happy that everyone would be sleeping later than usual in the morning.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The soft clinking of a breakfast tray and the sweet smell lofting into the air forced Elsa to turn onto her side, still deeply asleep in what felt like the most comfortable bed in the entire kingdom. Despite the delicious odor, her mind refused to let her wake up. She could only manage a warm smile, and hugged her pillow tighter. Hans smiled up from his desk, trying his best to not disturb her majesty while he started to pour themselves cups of coffee. Her hair shimmered in the late morning sun; she was just too pretty to interrupt. He tip-toed over to the window and opened it slightly, letting in a fresh breeze and the singing of cheerful birds. As she exhaled softly, she pulled the sheets further over her shoulder, exposing more of her back… He sighed, what a beautiful spring morning. He wanted to make sure she had a far better experience sharing a morning with him than she did the last time. Gently sitting down on the mattress, he leaned in and lightly kissed her glowing cheek. Her eyes finally beginning to open, she calmly looked up into Hans's handsome smirk, immediately wanting to run her fingers through his fiery hair. He leaned in and kissed her deeply as her fingertips danced up and down his neck, tickling his ears, and playing with his sideburns. Much better than yesterday, definitely, they both thought. Giggling as he rolled her onto her back, and started kissing her neck, she ran her hands down his shoulders and gripped the soft linen of his shirt.

"Good morning, admiral." She cooed, bringing her hands back up into his messy hair. He smiled back down at her.

"I hope you slept well, it seemed like you were… I didn't want to wake you up." He hesitantly pulled himself away from paradise to walk back over to their tray of coffee and some left over pastries from the party. He blushed and held one arm over his head, feeling insecure as she stared at him, wide-eyed with a confused expression. She sat herself up and held the blanket to her chest, rubbing the sleep from her gaze. He, brought her, breakfast? Really? Her cheeks turning rosy as she smiled, making him laugh with embarrassment. "I know leaving the room wasn't one of my better ideas, but, everyone was so preoccupied with their hangovers and kicking out guests from the hallways, sneaking into the kitchen was a breeze." He laughed awkwardly some more. "Plus you were so peaceful… I'd hope you'd still be sleeping by the time I got back. I'm glad I was right." He smiled.

"Oh... I, I don't know what to say." She started to pull the covers away and put her feet to the floor. "No one's ever done anything like this for me before…"

"You don't have to say anything." He stepped forward, and grabbed the shirt he ripped apart last night off the floor, offering it to the queen as a makeshift robe. She smiled shyly as she put her tiny arms through the sleeves, and held it closed with her hand.

"See? I told you, you have excellent taste no matter what you wear." Hans smirked, taking her hand and offering her a seat closer to the window. She sat in the gloriously warm sunshine, enjoying the direct light for one of the first times of her life. Or, at least the first time in a really long time. She couldn't stop smiling.

"Do you take any cream or sugar?" she stopped drifting back into sleep.

"Oh, I uh…"she laughed. "I like a lot of cream." He started to pour and she looked back over her shoulder. "A lot. Pretty much use the whole thing. I really don't like it hot."

"Of course your majesty." He chuckled, pouring in the entire container. And one lump of sugar to go with the sweetness of her laughter. She went back to losing herself in the robin's music, Hans sitting next to her on the windowsill, reaching over to hand her the cup of cream with a hint of coffee. She sighed as she added a bit of frost to the cup to make it completely cold, and began to drink it still half-awake. Was she still dreaming?

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" his voice brought her back to her senses.

"Hmm… No, but…"she sleepily sighed. "I should get going soon, before anyone notices I'm missing." They laughed, both turning the same shade of red.

"Elsa…" Hans got up from his spot and knelt down next to her chair, clasping her cold small hand into his warm palms. "I, don't know, what overcame me last night, but…" he turned even redder. "I just want to make sure that you're not in any pain." Elsa gasped once she connected the dots, and sat up straight in her seat.

"Oh, I'm! I'm not in any pain… I mean, I can't lie, I'm a little sore…"she chuckled, grasping his fingers. "But I'm… I'm…" she stared deeply into his worried eyes… Those emeralds never got old to her; every time she looked into them she let that warm feeling flow. She relaxed and smiled widely again, slowly remembering how rough he really was with her tiny frame… "I'm fine…" she softly stroked her hand on his scared cheek, bringing that warm smile back, making his nose and freckles wrinkle slightly. "More than fine…" She let herself grow weak and leaned in for more good morning kisses, Hans happily setting her cup onto the floor for her, so they could deepen their embrace. Groans began to grow from within his chest as she filled him with more hot embers. Just as he let his wet and eager tongue tickle that tiny spot she loved right behind her ear, sending her into bubbly giggles, there was a heavy bang on his door. They jumped. Another bang, and then another. They stared at each other in panic. Not again. Not again!

"Boy! I need a word with you!" a hideously familiar voice boomed. "Wake your ass up, boy!" another heavy bang, followed by the jostling of the door handles. Thank goodness he didn't have a key. Elsa threw herself out of his grasp and ran around in circles. Hans, trying not to panic, tried his best to calm her down and gripped her shoulders.

"Quickly!" he whispered, pointing to the heavy green velvet drapes. Without thinking she immediately flew behind them, doing her best to not move or even breathe. Hans quickly stepped to the door, looking over his shoulder once. He winced, and went to unlock the doors.

"About damn time." Snorted his father, pale as paper with heavy bags hanging from his gray eyes. He pushed his way inside. "I won't keep you, I just wanted to see those new battle plans I asked for, yesterday." He snorted again, his hand stroking his out of shape beard. He walked around and nosily looked about… Hans did his best to remain oblivious, and quickly walked over to the table where he had all his papers. But, he forgot Elsa froze his table in the heat of the moment, and… All his maps and notes were soggy. Heart heavy, he picked up a piece of soggy parchment. His father's laughter echoed throughout the entire hallway. He took his leathered hand and slapped him painfully on his shoulder. Hans rolled his eyes.

"Too much fun last night eh?" he continued to howl, slapping his knee. "Shame you have to do it all over again." He took a deep breath and re-adjusted his coat, trying not to laugh anymore. His eyes continued to scan, the loud king now noticing the disheveled bed, the multiple plates of desserts, and oddly enough, an empty cup on the floor… Hans began to panic once he realized where his father was glaring down, just now noticing the tiny white feet peeking out from the drapes. He coughed loudly, trying to make a distraction.

"Ah, excuse me, yes. Fun! But, I did notice something wrong…" he held up one of the dripping maps. "Definitely something you need to take a look at."

"Yes yes, we'll talk about the conquering and all that good stuff when my headache is gone…" the king shook his hand and continued to peak down at the floor. A wide, devilish smirk widened across his narrow chin. "Burning the midnight oil I see?" he lowly chuckled. Once his eyes caught the woman's robe by the window, he knew exactly what was going on. He proudly wrapped his arm around Hans, and nodded slowly as he walked him to the door. Hans glared with suspicion.

"I can tell that you were, as well…" he tried not to inhale as he held him closer.

"Yes well, every man deserves a slice of PIE every now and then, I know I've had my share!" the king shouted and laughed, slapping his son's back aggressively. "I certainly had a slice, or two, last night!" he whispered and winked, holding onto the door handle. Hans grew nauseous at the mere thought. "Do not worry boy, I'm happy to see you took my advice after all. Any homework is good homework in my book. If I could count all the times I've had to hide a woman…"the king began to laugh loudly again. Hans groaned and held his hand up to his face. "I'll leave you to your, 'work'. But have those plans to me before my next council with the queen," the king hissed. "I don't care what the enemy has been plotting, just make sure WE look good." He glared down at his youngest, and quickly slammed the door as he exited. Hans finally exhaled and wiped the sweat off his forehead as he locked the door, Elsa peeked her head out from her hiding spot.

"…What was that about?" slowly walking her way over to him, concerned.

"Oh… Yeah he's always called me that. I don't think he remembers my name."

"No, I'm sorry… I mean, about those plans?" she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek over and over, making Hans close his eyes and stroke his fingers up and down the small of her back.

"Right." He gently pulled her over to the mess that was now dripping onto the floor, little metal ships now scattered at their feet. Elsa grimaced.

"Oh, Hans, I, I didn't mean it!" she pleaded. He let himself relax and couldn't help but smile.

"Don't worry about it. I always carry extra parchment and I can always get new maps." He hugged her waist from behind, easing her stress.

"What… was it you wanted to tell your father? What advice was he talking about?" He continued to kiss her neck again, not wanting to talk about it. She tried not to let herself moan out loud, feeling the warmth return inside her.

"It's… Nothing… Just some details in the patterns I've been noticing…" he kissed deeper, his hands now reaching up into her open shirt, easily finding her bare bust. She gasped and felt her knees weaken. "Let me worry about it, and you…" he reached for her chin, his lips finding hers, wanting to taste her again. "You stay as perfect as you are right now…" he whispered, turning her around, pressing himself against her, and pulling her up into another passionate embrace. She whimpered and let herself fall limp in his strong arms. So much for going back to her room… She felt his hardened spirit pressing into her hip as his fingers pulled the soft fabric off her shoulders. Their lips parting, just for a moment so they could look into their eyes again, they smirked playfully at one another. Elsa gestured to his bed, her blue eyes sparkled, and he raised his eyebrows, beaming brightly as he swept her up into his arms and spun her around.

"You're not getting off that easy." Elsa laughed as he tossed her back into the sheets; right after all the trouble she spent trying to wake herself up. One thing was for certain, she needed a new mattress, because she never wanted to leave this bed again. He swiftly began to remove his clothing, grinning wilder than a hungry fox. Her eyes traveled down from his burning emeralds… to his hardened chest and abdomen… Then to his…

"I hope not." He growled, pouncing on top her, immediately tickling her cute flat belly. They lost themselves in laughter as the blankets flew above their heads, covering their embrace as their endless giggles, soon grew into ecstatic moans. They let their worries melt away with the steam that gently billowed out from under the fluffy comforter. She wouldn't let herself forget about what that man said earlier, but her mind let her put it off to the side for now… There were far more important details to attend to at that moment.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Elsa sighed happily to herself, eyes closed, drifting off into dreams and fantasies. She let her shoulders relax more as her loving handmaiden took time brushing her long silvery hair, her fingers playing with the ribbons of her white linen gown, still fresh from her warm bath. After the past two days, she needed all the relaxation as she could get. She leaned back more into her chair, and let her head rest as she sighed once more.

"My queen, you're glowing…" said the doting servant, smiling down and as she continued her slow strokes.

"Oh?" she asked, her train of thought derailed. "I didn't notice…" she smirked, closing her eyes, going back to thinking about the admiral.

"Did you have a good time last night?" the handmaiden switched the heavy brush for a comb.

"…Yes, yes I did…" Elsa sighed, not wanting to speak. The servant smiled softly and continued her work. There was a light tapping at the door.

"Hey, uh, Elsa? You in there?" asked her little sister. She opened her eyes slowly, and sat higher in her comfortable chair. With a deep breath, she mentally prepared herself for what was to come…

"Yes, you may come in." she said, looking over her shoulder as Anna shyly stepped quickly through the door and into her dressing room. A stark difference from her appearance last night, Elsa thought, no huge gold ball gown or beaming grin. Although, she preferred Anna in her more fitting, casual green dress and adorable braids. She did miss her smile, however… Elsa's smiled had faded too.

"Where were you? I was looking all over the place for you…" Anna played with her hands and looked down at her feet. Elsa turned back to look out the small window.

"I was really busy last night."

"Busy at a party."

"Yes. I still have a tight schedule to keep because I have a lot of work to do..."

"…And this morning? For the first time in forever, you didn't answer me when I knocked on your door…" Elsa's heart fell into her stomach.

"Oh, I'm sorry…" Elsa turned to look back at her, their eyes finally meeting. "I… I wasn't in my room… This morning…" she started to blush. The handmaiden did her best to turn off her ears, and focus on braiding the queen's long locks, but she just couldn't help herself.

"Ah… I see." Anna hesitated, but walked in front of her big sister, still nervously playing with her fingers. "Long night huh?" Anna tried to smile. Elsa blinked.

"I don't think any of that is your business…" Anna winced slightly; she was the ice queen after all.

"Well, I think it's a little bit my business, considering the way you left us last night." The air grew more tense.

"I'm sorry I froze you and your fiancé to the floor." Elsa remained as calm as she possibly could.

"Yeah that was a lot of fun, breaking champagne glasses to chip away at our feet." Anna crossed her arms.

"Well, considering how you behaved I didn't think it was that severe of a punishment." She snapped back. Anna scoffed loudly.

"How, we behaved!? Elsa are you kidding me? That's another thing," Anna snorted. "What on EARTH were you doing with that… That… Jerk anyway!?" Elsa couldn't help but blush and angrily fold her arms across her chest.

"Don't you think it's possible that I had business to discuss with the admiral, regarding all the work that has to be done to protect our country?!"

"The admiral… Ugh." Anna rolled her eyes, glaring back into Elsa's burning blues. "I think you might be right. I'm starting to get more suspicious by the minute. Everyone is acting so weird!"

"There's nothing to be suspicious of." Elsa looked away, folding her hands onto her lap.

"But you literally JUST told me you didn't trust king!" Anna shouted, holding her hands up in the air in disbelief.

"I… I changed my mind." Elsa scoffed.

"Oh really? Then why did you give away all those dresses, yet you kept that pink monstrosity you wore last night." Anna pointed to the large cake-like dress still hanging on her wall. Elsa gasped and stood up from her chair, yanking her half-finished braid out from the servant's hands.

"Excuse me!?" Elsa stepped closer, now furious, and clenched her hands. Anna stood her ground and glared harder at her, suddenly catching a small red patch on the pale skin of her sister's neck. She gasped loudly.

"I knew it! I KNEW IT! You were with someone! Don't tell me you weren't because you were!" she shook her finger in the queen's face. Elsa turned bright crimson and began to stammer in denial, crossing her arms and turning away.

"T-that's none of your business!" Elsa shouted loudly. Anna's furious glare quickly evolved into uncontrollable giddish laughter. Elsa's eyes widened in shock and confusion.

"Oh, Elsa, I can't believe it! You're falling in love, aren't you?" Anna swooned, quickly reaching for her cold hands and grasping them tightly.

"Anna, do NOT be ridiculous." She laughed nervously. The servant tried not to smile herself. "That is the more preposterous thing I've ever heard." She promised herself to deny the truth and her heart the satisfaction to the very bitter end. Conceal, don't feel…

"Oh, Elsa… It's ok! I understand completely… You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to…" Anna warmly smiled, easing Elsa to look back into her caring eyes. "I'm just, so so happy for you." She giggled, she was excited, but she knew better to not push her too hard. The servant silently wiped a tear from her eye as she stood in the corner; she's growing up so fast she sighed to herself. Elsa weakly smiled.

"I… I'm really not in love, please!" she laughed awkwardly. Why was she laughing, this isn't funny.

"Oh… Don't worry…" Anna winked and smirked. "Your secret is safe with me." She made a clicking sound with her mouth as she pretended to lock a key into her chest. She giggled some more and hugged her big sister tightly. "So…?" she whispered. "Was it… The _king?_" Elsa gagged and pushed her away.

"Eww! No!?" Anna and the handmaiden laughed together, Elsa quickly shooting the poor gal an icy cold glare over her shoulder. She stopped all movement instantly. Anna laughed even harder.

"Well, you tell me when you're ready."

"Anna I swear to you, I'm begging you, PLEASE believe me when I say I'm not in love! And ESPECIALLY with that man!" Elsa cried. Anna sensed her urgency, and immediately lost her happiness. "I just… I just want to establish a good, _professional _relationship with the Southern Isles. We need their help…" she sighed and looked down to the floor.

"…I don't understand, exactly…" Anna reached out and stroked her shoulder. She was shivering...

"Maybe that's because you're not a queen." Anna pulled back slowly, and looked away trying not to feel the words. Elsa sighed sadly.

"Maybe you can help me understand better, if we spent more time together and I can help you out with all this? …Maybe you don't have to spend time sucking up to jerks and more time helping your sister plan her wedding?" Anna grabbed the queen's hand and squeezed it tightly, Elsa trying to hide her sudden tears. She pulled back silently, and sat back down in her chair. Her handmaiden reached out to finish her braid.

"Yes, the wedding, of course." She forced a smile. "Of course I'll help still help with your wedding..." Elsa looked up and was happy to see the sunshine return to Anna's freckled cheeks. "But please, just, understand that I'm under a lot of… Stress right now and…"

"Like I said, my dear sister, you come to me when you're ready. I understand. I really do!" She bent down and quickly pecked Elsa's cheek. "Hey, if a queen wants to let off steam on her own time, she should. Who am I to judge?" They smiled warmly at each other as Anna leaned in for a long, warm hug. "Besides, who am I to talk? I sneak off with Kristoff to the stables all the time!" Anna chuckled.

"Anna!" Elsa and the motherly servant laughed, Anna squealing with embarrassment and throwing her hands over her head.

"Why did I just say that!?" she laughed so hard she snorted. The whole room now burst into laughter and happiness. Elsa's mind started to spin as she began to realize she would have to balance, a lot of things, if she was going to make her current… Adventure… Work out. Butterflies started to nest in her belly the more she thought about it… So many things to juggle… Not wanting to listen to Anna gush about Kristoff's… Talents… She tried her best to not let her mind spiral into anxiety. The wedding… The expenses for the wedding… Losing her sister… Where to get finances from… Living without Anna… She needs to find more income, especially now with the building up of her naval strengths… The king, overbearing and certainly intimidating… Her little sister's happiness… And the king's son… The admiral… Even though it had only been a few hours, she was already missing those eyes. Despite how awful her conscious made her feel about it, she couldn't deny the power of this brand new magic… Anna's hand shook her shoulder, snapping her out of her trance.

"Hey, Elsa?"

"Hmm? Yes?" she smiled weakly.

"Can you please just promise me something?"

"Sure, anything."

"…Promise me you'll just try to keep your distance from Hans at least?" Elsa felt the color rush out from her skin.

"…Anna, I have to talk to him occasionally so I can give him orders over-"

"Yes, I know, I just…" Anna took a deep breath. "Please." Elsa paused for what seemed like an eternity.

"I… I promise." Conceal; don't feel she repeated to herself.

The following day, after a lot of hard work and several hours of cleaning, the castle seemed to be returning back to normal. Elsa walked quickly with several of her advisors, the man in charge of finances especially loud this morning… She struggled to remain focused with so many voices invading her head. As she walked faster towards their meeting room, she held her hand up to her forehead. Not noticing where she was walking, or who she was walking straight into, her face came into full contact with a uniform and she fell backwards. A hand quickly grabbed her left wrist and prevented her from crashing into hard floor.

"Close one." Laughed Admiral Westergard, swiftly pulling her up to her feet. It took all his strength to not hold his hand against her back… He couldn't help but at least gently squeeze her arm and wink. He was thrilled to finally see her after all the hours that had passed since that amazing morning. Elsa took a deep breath, blushing while she quickly looked away and dusted herself off. "Apologies my majesty, Queen Elsa…" his smile started to fade.

"Think nothing of it." She managed, refusing to make eye contact and cleared her throat. "See you at the meeting." She walked forward, the angry mob of old men glaring at him as they filtered by, trying to stay in step with the queen. Hans watched her walk away from him. There was that word again, nothing… He felt a deep, painful chill grow in his chest as she vanished completely from his sight, without even batting an eye. Ice Queen indeed… His mind fell into a dark fog for the rest of the day, not really paying attention to anything while he continued to replay events in his mind. Trying with all his intellect to find the missing pieces to this puzzle. Be barely even noticed his commanding father yelling at him from the chair adjacent to his, while he continued to ignore all outside noise and hold his chin in his hand. Staring intently out the window. The only thing that broke his concentration was the queen herself being introduced to the impatient crowd. Still not making any eye contact with pretty much anyone in the room, Elsa pulled in her chair and prepared herself for the onslaught of opinions and outlandish stories everyone needed to share from the party. The king relishing in all the attention as he continued to thank Arendelle's highest military officers, he kept his gloved hand on his sculpted beard with beaming pride. Hans could only lose himself in his thoughts again and force himself to look out the window. Not knowing how to respond to all the demands on where all the funding for all this, frivolity, was coming from… Elsa's eyes drifted over to the Admiral for a much needed distraction… She felt an odd, new pain once she saw how dull those eyes had become.

"Your majesty, please, with the upcoming wedding of Princess Anna, we need to set an absolute budget at once."

"As well as a budget for pretty much everything else." Scoffed the oldest of the angry mob. Elsa tried not to panic.

"Gentlemen, do not worry, we will continue to go over the overall income as soon as I possibly can." She pleaded.

"If I may…" interrupted the red king, holding up his hand. "I think I may have some solutions to offer. That is, if the queen would be willing to engage in a discussion with me." He smiled. Elsa did her best to not roll her eyes, and let her shoulders shrink in disgust as she looked in his direction. It didn't help that everyone else nodded in agreement like sheep. Aside from one person… "I have details concerning the battle occurring to the south as well." The king coughed, and violently elbowed Hans. He jumped and rubbed his shoulder in pain, sitting up straight. Hans struggled to come up with words as he stammered and blushed, not knowing what they were talking about.

"R-right." He coughed, straightening the collar of his heavy jacket and fixing his hair, blushing brighter than his bangs.

"I have noticed some minor patterns that I should bring to your attention at once." The king focused his steel eyes directly into hers, making her feel very uncomfortable. Hans gripped his gloved fingers tightly into the wood of the armrests…

"I-I will schedule a counsel with my military leaders and yourself as soon as I am able-"

"I insist we meet as soon as possible, your majesty..." the king leaned onto the table and gripped his bear like hands together. "This is for the safety and prosperity of Arendelle; surely you don't want to risk anything more, just because you have a busy schedule. We could at least discuss the matters at hand over dinner later this evening." Elsa silently gasped, and sat back in her chair, eyes wide. She couldn't believe his audacity. She didn't dare look at his son as she felt herself grow colder and paler by the second. She gulped, and the silence was deafening.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Elsa sat up straight in her tall chair, and folded her hands onto her lap. Looking the beast's eyes without fear, she paused to make sure she chose her words wisely, and to not speak out of anger. But it was extremely difficult not to… She cleared her throat.

"To assume I have time to sit and chat idly while there are so many preparations to go through, is laughable." She smirked widely, the king blinked in disbelief. "If the issue at hand is that urgent, then please speak with the heads of my military at once. Otherwise, if you really want to go over what my priorities should be, then by all means, ask my sister. She's the one getting married." The more she spoke, the better she felt, and the more the confidence drained out from that poor fool's ego. She chuckled silently to herself, as well as a few of her favorite counselors. "Now, if, you excuse me, gentlemen?" she quickly pushed away from the table and took in a deep breath, happy to quickly run off and escape from the pressure. Hans couldn't help but smile as he watched her. His admiration for her ability to stand her ground, even up against his father, continued to impress him more each day. As the room emptied, he found himself moving in the direction the queen ran off to, not really caring what anyone thought of it. He was determined to say something. She moved very quickly to try and avoid anyone, and forgot exactly where her sister would be at this moment… They didn't exactly have plans for this afternoon, but, any excuse is a good excuse to speak that awful man. As her mind ran further than her feet into thought, she hadn't realized she had walked herself into the gallery of paintings her mother collected so many years ago… She admired the nostalgia it brought to her, but she headed for the exit swiftly. She didn't want to find herself where she could be easily trapped.

"Your… Majesty, a moment of your time, please?" Hans struggled to catch his breath, quickly stepping in her way. Elsa gasped and held her hands up to her mouth in shock. He didn't like the look of worry in those beautiful blue eyes. "I'll just be a second, I swear." He held out his hand to try and calm her senses, not wanting to fear him ever again. Elsa hesitated, and stepped back. She didn't know what to say or do. She cursed herself for even allowing her guard down to be in this situation in the first place. She was lucky it wasn't that king who hunted her down. Not that she couldn't take care of herself… But, she was surprised at how quickly and silently he moved, completely taking her off guard.

"Admiral… Please, I…" she started, not knowing what to say next. She could stay strong in the eyes of a beast, but the fire she saw within him melted away all the walls she tried so hard to build up. She hated, and was jealous the power he had over her, but she knew she needed to be firm. The air around them grew tense.

"My Queen, Elsa. I suspect you have reasons for… Wanting space it seems… And…" he defiantly grabbed her cold hand into his, holding it tightly in his gloved palm. "…I respect that. I can't begin to understand the stress you're going through at the moment. And… I understand that the best thing you can do right now is to give your undivided attention to your little sister…" he sighed heavily. "Anna deserves that." Elsa felt a warm sensation wash all over her body as she lost herself in his words, feeling weaker… "I don't want to get in the way, or cause you anymore grief." She leaned in and kissed his soft cheek, forcing him to blush with surprise. He lost his train of thought and could only stammer.

"I'll send a private message to your desk whenever I need… 'Counseling' on my new fleet of ships… Whenever I have free time before or after my lunch, afternoon tea, or riding lessons…" Elsa winked. "Or… anytime in between, when I see fit…" her fingers reached up and played with the large collar of his coat. Hans's smile couldn't grow any wider; his cheeks were already starting to ache. He couldn't contain himself any longer and his hands wrapped around the small of her back, sweeping her into his arms for a deep kiss. Elsa giggled, loving the sweet taste of his lips… But she remembered that they weren't exactly in a private space, and a small gust of flurries formed within their embrace, pushing him away. Her porcelain cheeks turned rosy as he brushed himself off and she fixed her braid, both of them laughing awkwardly.

"My apologies, my queen." He coughed.

"No more apologies, from either of us, ok?" she continued to smile.

"You have my word." Hans beamed back, holding his hand over his heart.

"Good luck with your work Hans, and please make yourself at home." She sighed and slowly began to step away, not being able to pull away from his gaze. He reached for her hand one last time.

"Elsa, I just need you to promise me one thing." Elsa's heart stopped for a second.

"…What is it?"

"Try your best to keep your distance from _him_. And never allow yourself to be alone with him either. Promise me. I will never doubt your strength, but just… Promise. " He gripped her hand tightly. His urgency made her extremely nervous…

"Of course. I promise." He kissed her hand gently and smiled down at her one last time. Hearing footsteps, they quietly gasped in unison.

"I better go." He smiled down at her one last time, kissed her hand, and quickly made his exist. Elsa did the same, but in the opposite direction and rushing for a stairwell. Hans's apprehension grew the louder the footsteps echoed, realizing that he was walking in the direction of the noise. Preparing himself to make eye contact, he slowed his pace to not look suspicious and kept looking forward. Once he made eye contact with the loud stranger however, his heart fell into his stomach.

"…Boy," the deep voiced growled. "You better keep your eyes on your work, and ONLY your work." The red king furiously glared down at his youngest. The shadow looming over him sent a chill down his spine. "…Get the message?" Hans gripped his hands tightly into fists and glared right back, trying to stop himself from shaking. The king's eyes filled with blinding anger brought back terrible memories.

"…Loud and clear." He snapped, turning to walk away. As he turned, the red king raised the back of his hand into the air, and winded up his strength. Before Hans knew it, the back of that massive hand connected with his chin, forcing the air out of his lungs and sending his body to the floor with a heavy bang. His vision fading into black, he could hardly make out the shape of the monster standing above him. He reeled in pain as the king grabbed his collar and pulled his back off the floor.

"Not loud enough. Don't forget, my command is the ONLY thing keeping you alive. BOY." He snarled, dropping him back onto the wood with a thud. Hans could only writhe in agony and his mind spun wildly out of control from the first hit, unable to respond as the king stomped away. Gathering all the strength he had left, he struggled to grip the wall and help himself back onto his feet. If he was angry enough to strike him out in the open like that, he couldn't imagine what would happen if he was able to back the queen into a corner. He hastily tried to walk his way back to his room, now convinced that his father's motivations could be far more sinister than he initially suspected. Holding his hand up to his throbbing jaw, he winced and closed his eyes, and tried desperately to not look completely defeated. He had to get to his desk immediately and look over what he's observed so far under a new microscope, something wasn't making sense.

It was getting more difficult avoiding the king's unwanted invitations. Through constant letters being forced under her door, to a growing closet of gigantic, baroque inspired gowns being shipped in from the south, she was running out of room and patience. And she grew more curious about where, exactly, all these 'gifts' were coming from. As the days grew longer, and the colder air retreated further into the mountains, the castle opened every shutter possible and the steady flow of people grew more steadily into a river. Each day more people swelled the walls of their home, and planning out an entire new army and a wedding at the same time was beginning to grow overwhelming. Days now turned into a full week since the last time she was able to share a word with the man in charge of her new naval fleet… It was getting harder to catch glimpses of him walking in the busy hallways, the prince always finding the time to wink in her direction and make her smile. But they worked out a fun way to exchange short, yet wonderful descriptive, raunchy letters back and forth through the queen's orders… Some mornings she walked her way slowly to her sister's quarters, more so than usual, so she could dreamily sigh into the white rose that she would occasionally find with her cold coffee. She made sure to skip breakfast this particularly warm Sunday morning, she had an early tasting to attend and Anna insisted that she even skip dinner the night before. Elsa laughed to herself as her free hand played with the ribbons that hung loosely from her flowing sunny gaulle, a powder blue sash sweeping silently at her feet. Breaking the flower from the long stem, she paused to look at her reflection in a window, so she could place the rose at just the right spot above her ear, sweeping her long braid over her bare shoulder. She never felt this… bright before, she smiled to herself, her cheeks starting to blush. Letting her mind unwind from the constant noise that usually sent her flying back into her bedroom, she happily made her way through the crowds, ignoring every single "my lady" that crossed her path. Not today, she thought to herself, nothing she thought could ruin her mood. This day was her day, seeing as she just couldn't take the longing anymore, and decided to ask for a… meeting regarding her new ships from the admiral later that afternoon. He happily obliged to make room in his busy schedule, he noted in his letter this morning. She could hardly wait, and she couldn't stand the pressure anymore. She needed to let off some steam, that was for certain, and nothing would stop her.

"There you are!" shouted Anna over the mob, throwing her hand into the air. Elsa quickly spotted her, and forced her way towards Anna's voice, grabbing her hand and letting Anna pull her out to the gardens.

"There was too much to fit upstairs so we moved it outside!" Anna laughed. "Which it totally fine with me, it's gorgeous out. I just hope you don't mind, it is warmer than usual." She fanned herself with a lace handkerchief, and tucked it back into the bust of her pale green gown, flopping into a patio bench. Elsa could only stand there as she took in the amount of tables of pastries set up under their only cherry blossom tree.

"Wow, you weren't kidding!" Elsa smiled, sitting next to the glowing princess, who was clearly embarrassed and couldn't stop playing with her long pigtail braids.

"Well, I guess that's what happens when the princess asks for extra samples so she can have leftovers?" Elsa playfully elbowed her shoulder and laughed warmly, rolling her eyes and not knowing where to begin, tucking in the train of her dress as she sat next to her. Anna shrugged happily and reached over for a plate straight away, grabbing multiple napkins and already picking out favorites. Elsa tried to compose herself and grabbed a cup of tea, noticing the blossom petals that had been snowing onto the table. She snickered silently as she watched Anna stuff a cupcake into her mouth, either not noticing the petals that had decorated the frosting, or not caring. She chewed slowly and wiped her fingers into the first napkin, her smile transforming into a look of confusion.

"That one was… Good, but different. That's on the maybe list." Elsa's sides began to hurt as she laughed so hard, she lost her voice, giving up on her cup of tea.

"What?" laughed Anna, losing herself in the moment and allowed themselves to laugh together and hug, enjoying the first moment they've shared alone in a while. They continued to catch each other up on the latest on Anna's big day, the constant stress Elsa was facing from all sides of building up their growing country, and of course the latest and greatest gossip. Elsa not sparing any details regarding the red king, the sisters laughing and making jokes at his obviously futile attempts. Anna however, kept noticing certain signals her big sister was sending off… Little things Elsa herself didn't notice. The way her eyes would drift off into her own thoughts, and she'd bite down on her lower lip. Her cheeks would glow just slightly, and she would twist her fingers into the end of her braid. The fact that she was suddenly not allergic to flowers and wearing them like crazy in her hair. She also couldn't help but notice, that Elsa was wearing the same fancy pearl pink collar she wore the night of the infamous banquet. Anna finally felt full and pushed away several unfinished slices of cake, and smiled softly, trying to think of the right words…

"It's a shame that Kristoff insisted on no chocolate at the party," Elsa sighed, finally finishing one of the richest and most decadent desserts she's ever tasted. "That red velvet cake with… What was that, cream cheese?" Elsa gasped was joy and pretend to swoon. "I want that every day." Anna giggled.

"Yeah, I don't get it, he understands that Sven can't actually, BE inside the castle, but he still won't budge on the issue! I can't reason with the guy." Anna laughed, and suddenly gasped, holding napkins to her chest. "That's it!" Elsa stopped herself from sipping her tea. "Carrot cake!" They both looked at each other, and burst into more happy giggles. "Elsa, I have to say, it is so nice to hear you laugh like this." They sighed, both taking a moment to catch their breath and finish their tea. "What is going on with you? I can see how swamped you've been trying to balance all of your work, but today, and most days lately… Actually…" Anna nervously played with one of the papers that she kept collecting, tying one into a knot. "You've been, so warm and happy, not that happy is bad!" she awkwardly chuckled. Elsa smiled and reached for her sister's hand and warmly patted it.

"Well… I guess… I'm just really excited for you." Anna smirked and crossed her arms.

"It's more than just that… Because I know you don't want to see me leave after the ceremony." Elsa's smiled drifted away. She really didn't want to change the subject. "Ah ah, we need to talk about this. I know you're worried about being alone, it's ok, I get it…"they sighed together, the warm wind gently picking up and bring more pink petals into their hair. "And its ok, I know you have your reasons for not wanting to tell me. You probably don't want to rain on my parade." Elsa weakly smiled.

"That's right, yes; I don't want to be any kind of rain cloud on you and your future's husband's day! So, you let me worry about every-"

"Elsa, you can tell me! I want to share your happiness too, not just mine!" pleaded Anna. Elsa sighed, and held her sister's hands tightly.

"Ok… I guess you can see right through me…" She hesitated.

"I'm not mad, I promise." Anna hugged her tightly and stroked her arm. "I'm so happy you're happy too. The more, the merrier." She beamed. "And you don't have to tell me their name… It'll be our little secret." She whispered, cupping her hand to her ear. Elsa couldn't help but nervously bite her lip and laugh. She bubbled with excitement… and decided maybe… Just maybe… She could at least admit to her sister, and herself, that she was truly happy, and having fun too.

"Well… Ok." Anna silently bounced in her seat and clapped her hands. Elsa raised her eyebrow and hesitated some more… Questioning her own judgment. "Let's just say, that, maybe, I've been, having some fun… On my own… With…" she slowly turned redder, and redder, finding it harder and harder to speak. Anna couldn't help but laugh, and queen being unusually silly. "With… A sailor from the southern isles." She gasped and covered her hands over her mouth. Anna gasped too. She blinked, and Elsa feared her response, feeling her skin grow cold again. Anna stared out into the distance in shock… And slowly rose to her feet. "…Anna?" Elsa asked, scared to move. The silence growing more awkward…

"Seriously… What is up with that island that we girls can't get over?" Anna held her hand on her hip, and turned to face the queen. "Don't tell me he's a red head too." Anna laughed. Elsa turned crimson head to toe, unable to hide her embarrassment, her silence only reassuring her guilt. Anna laughed harder and threw her arms into the air. "He is isn't he?! You've got to be kidding me, this is HILAROUS." Elsa couldn't help but awkwardly laugh back as Anna held her sides, trying her best to not fall to her feet. "Oh, Elsa. You tramp. Going for a sailor… No commitment with a man at sea, good for you!" She smirked and laughed, fanning herself, and blew the queen a kiss. Elsa gasped in shock and rose to her feet, pretending to be insulted.

"How dare you speak to your majesty in such a manner." They stared each other down, and Elsa formed a snowball in her palm, Anna reaching over to grab a handful of frosting. As they raised their weapons, they couldn't help but smirk more, unable to quell their uncontrollable laughter. They surrendered and as Anna wiped her hand clean on the table cloth and Elsa took her snowball and turned it into a flurry, sweeping away the large amount of petals that littered the patio. Their moment was suddenly interrupted by the stomping of rushing feet.

"My apologies, your majesties, but the king _insisted _this be delivered to Queen Elsa at once, no excuses." Gasped the poor solider, draped in a heavy red uniform, struggling to hold up the heavy wooden chest as he knelt before the queen and princess. Anna watched on as Elsa quickly relieved the poor soul of his burden, letting him drop the heavy box onto a free table with a thud. She then excused him to retreat to the shade of the castle as Anna curiously looked over the chest, observing the symbol of the southern isles etched into the golden seal. Elsa cautiously used her powers to summon a sharp icy wind to cut the lid open, still very suspicious of his intentions… Anna was speechless as the glistening of diamond rings, earrings, and necklaces blinded her blue eyes, stepping back as if she saw a ghost. Elsa could only just take in a deep breath, and cross her arms, smiling over at her stunned sister. This was the second time he sent her something he was convinced that would impress the Ice Queen, but he failed to mimic the perfect beauty of any snowflake she could make with her own hands. She proudly chuckled to herself and pushed the box in Anna's direction.

"Well, now we know how we'll be paying for the rest of your wedding." Anna couldn't move. "You're welcome." Elsa happily grinned, Anna throwing her arms around her older sibling and cried happily and loudly. Elsa embraced her back and couldn't help her mind from wandering off like the impatient spring breeze rushing in from the harbor. She better take this moment to get ready for her appointment later that afternoon… She didn't want to be late. And she was happy she was able to give Anna a nice distraction.

"Ohh! Now we can start looking at wedding gowns!" Anna squealed. "When's the next time you're free!?" Elsa groaned and laughed weakly, as Anna hugged her again, even tighter, realizing that her plan may have, backfired... At least for certain she was headed for the docks around three, queen orders.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The gulls sang as they glided against the warm sea breeze, the sun starting to lower behind some late afternoon clouds. The wind picked up a little speed, and Admiral Westergard filled his lungs with the salty sweet air. It had been a long day, he had spent it giving orders and overseeing Arendelle's growing navy since dawn. His back ached, and he felt his throat beginning to get dry from shouting. But he felt unusually energetic, and didn't feel tired in the slightest. He happily raced down the deck and onto his own ship, settled securely in the fjord, gently bobbing along with the tide. He needed to change at least his jacket quickly before he was late for his meeting with someone of extreme importance, and he didn't want to disrespect royalty. He was in full uniform and all the work of the day under the full sun was making him sweat. He stomped into his getaway, his private quarters on the only real possession he owned, and loved to sneak away to whenever he had the chance. Papers thrown all around his desk, random articles of clothing littered the floor and his hammock. Unfinished books, cigars, and random bottles of alcohol, decorated the lonely shelf, holding more memories than words. It was difficult to see anything in the poor lighting, despite the large bay window, filthy from never being washed once in his career on the water. The only noise he could usually fall asleep to, the creaking of the wood against the cradling of the waves, immediately relaxed him as he searched hopelessly for something clean to wear, rushing once he realized as he was running out of time. So the sound of slow footsteps tapping on the deck above him, and then quickly down below towards the cabin, surprised his usually sharp senses. He swung around into a defensive stance and let his hand hover above the sword that hung at his hip, facing the doorway.

"Show yourselves!" he shouted nervously, the footsteps stopping. He moved closer to the doorway, trying to look into the poor lighting to see who could possibly be trying to sneak up on him…

"Ah ha!" Elsa laughed, throwing a snowball into his face, making him cough and sputter, his hands immediately trying to free his eyes.

"Elsa!" he coughed, "How, did you…?" he smiled as the snow dripped down his blushing freckled cheeks, his hands brushing the slush off his uniform.

"I got tired of waiting on the dock, and I couldn't help but see you running away from me. I just had to follow you." The queen smirked playfully, walking into his private cabin. "I think you've been so preoccupied, you failed to see me waving hello." She smiled, closing the door behind her, and looked down at her hands as she nervously played with the ribbons that hung from her dress. She almost forgot how handsome he was after all this time, almost forgetting how much she was also beginning to find his fiery red hair irresistibly cute; like a timid moth to a flame she couldn't control the fluttering feeling growing in her heart. Hans laughed and held his gloved hand behind his head, embarrassed to admit his wrongdoing.

"It, was a difficult day with drills, it's not easy showing ten teenagers how to properly handle a weapon." He managed, laughing and unable to look at her straight in her sparkling sapphire gems… It had been so long since he'd been this close to her… And her powerful smile pierced right through his chest, his eyes trailing up and down her silhouette, admiring her curves in that soft flowing gown she was wearing… Admiring her bare shoulders, losing himself as he watched her nervously rubbed her left hand against her right arm. Wanting so badly to touch her delicate fingers… He cleared his thoughts and throat, his eyes finally catching hers.

"…I was going to ask, if that was your sword if you were happy to see me." Elsa bit her lower lip and tried to conceal her blushing. He smirked widely and pulled off his gloves, unable to stand the heat anymore.

"You're getting better at your flirting your majesty." He stepped closer, not noticing the small bead of sweat that traveled down his brow, beginning to catch the beautiful aroma she brought with her into his dusty room. Elsa pressed her back into the door, starting to lose her breath. Her eyes watering slightly as she felt her body slowly begin to melt… Loving that warm sensation staring at him always brought to her chest… And down between her thighs…

"It's been a while… Admiral… I've, I've missed you…" she whispered, still smiling, still playing with her fingers.

"I've, missed you too, my queen." He slightly began to glow rosy again.

"I appreciate all the hard work you've been doing for me." She sighed softly… Watching him undo the heavy satchel and start to unbutton his heavy jacket. She sighed again, more deeply, and blew him a kiss with her left hand, sending a soft cold breeze to gently caress his sweaty skin as he freed his collar, sending chills down his body making him smile widely. "I've been meaning to ask, actually, if we have a moment… If there was anything alarming you've learned recently about the enemies' position?" she knew she had to talk about this, she couldn't let anything distract her from her main objective, wanting desperately to connect some dots that she had missing… And the longer she spent not knowing exactly what he knew, made it harder for her to figure out her suspicions over the king… He closed his eyes and exhaled, enjoying the refreshing the sensations she gave him as he threw the heavy jacket toward his chair, missing it completely and hitting the floor. She laughed as he sighed and proceeded to rip off another layer, a heavy linen dress shirt, and reached over to grab a few unopened letters he had yet to read.

"I got some reports in this morning, actually, that I need to go over, but, for the most part, I think the information I gave you last is still the same."

"So… You still think the blockade is holding strong after all? I remember you said you were worried for a bit…" Elsa gulped as he held up the letters with one hand, the other slowly starting to unbutton the final layer of cloth that stuck to his damp skin, some of the shirt transparent from the moisture and exposing his strong muscles. She was starting to feel warmer and warmer herself, her one hand pulling down her dress, exposing more of her shoulders. Noticing her eyes trailing down his body, he smirked at her sudden weakness and let his fingers work painfully slow. Teasing her while he had the chance.

"I… Was, the reports I received from scouts sent to the north are conflicting. Some are saying they have spotted enemy banners amongst peaceful trade ships. Others aren't finding anything... And no one is taking my suspicions seriously. It may be a distraction after all…" he pulled the shirt from his tight belt, and finished the last button, fully exposing himself to the air and her eager gaze. "The only thing unusual now is the steady stream of trade ships being allowed through the blockade." Elsa did try with all her might to not stare obviously at his bare sweaty exposed body, but he made it impossible for her to not ogle as his long fingers played with the edges of his shirt, playfully fanning himself with the cloth and pulling it further off his broad shoulders. He was torturing her, Elsa thought, not realizing how brightly her cheeks were blushing.

"I suppose, we should, go over those reports again…. Just to be safe…" Elsa felt herself inching closer, unable to contain the growing invisible inferno that seemed to engulf them, their burning eyes never leaving each other's for a second. "After, you… Cool off, of course…" she whispered, holding up her shaking fingers and blowing more icy snowflakes onto his amazingly perfect chest… Forcing his chin to point upward and making him inhale deeply, some snowflakes kissing his sideburns. The frost eased the wet shirt down his strong arms and onto the floor, making the letters drop to their feet from his cold hands; he craved more of the burning sensation from her intimate cold touch.

"Oh… Your _majesty…_" Hans gasped, his smirk curling devilishly into his freckles, his emerald eyes burning deeply into her as his hands reached for her cool cheeks, pulling her closer to his face. "You drive a hard bargain..." His fingers gripped into her hair as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her quivering lips against his, standing onto her tippy toes, eagerly tasting him for the first time in what felt like forever. She couldn't help but smile as they kissed deeper, his arms now wrapping around her waist, pressing her closer to his bare damp skin. Their tongues continued to dance as Elsa's fingers ran up and down his wet back, tickling him and sending more chills along his spine, trying to cool down his body temperature and to sooth his aching muscles. He gasped in her mouth his palms hugged her hips, making her giggle and run her ice cold fingers through his damp red hair, not allowing their lips to part. She wasn't going to let him to get away so easily… Kissing him with more force, she made him groan slightly as she traced her fingernails up and down his chest, sending more frost to kiss and burn his skin, her fingers trailing ever closer to his belt… A cold breeze now filling his mouth and she kissed deeper still, their hands cooperating together to remove the leather barrier, sending his heavy sword crashing into the wood. They laughed as they gasped for air, Elsa's hands now rubbing the growing mass that had been begging for her attention. Hans deeply groaned, his hands trying to find hers to calm her down to no avail.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you." She managed between kisses, Elsa forcefully pushing his hands to the side and allowing herself full responsibility for releasing him from his prison. He was hers at this moment, and he wasn't going anywhere.

"It's… Almost been unbearable, not having anyone… To talk to…" Hans groaned. She smiled up at him as she tore open his pants, hands quickly finding his manhood, and swiftly sending cold chills all over his body as her fingers found her target. He groaned deeper and held his hands back into her hair as he kissed down her neck, tickling her behind the ear and wanting to reward her for pleasing him so. She wrapped her fingers tightly around him, gripping a little harder, and began to massage him as best she could, making him grow harder, making him groan louder. She smirked at how easy it was to get back in control, forcing him backwards and forcing him to sit on his desk, her hands reaching in deeper and exposing him fully to the cold air. He gasped as he leaned back onto his elbow and watched as the ice goddess stood over him, her hands never ceasing their massage, her sapphires burning endlessly with intensity. He almost felt intimidated by her stare as she smirked wider, leaning down and gently blowing a few flakes of snow onto his sensitive skin, his eyes widening at the intense sensation.

"Elsa!" he gasped, unable to respond as she quickly followed the snowflakes with a kiss. Then a long, slow lick from her hungry tongue, making him wince as she gently wrapped her lips around him. His fingers gripped tightly into the back of her head, trying to push his hips upward and force himself deeper into her throat, but she deterred him from getting what he wanted. His girth continued to harden and grow despite already being so large, her hands going back to massaging as he threw back his head in pleasure and pain. "You're a fast learner." He managed to laugh, his hand now caressing her cheek, trying to persuade her back to his eye level, desperately needing another kiss. As he hungrily tasted her sweetness, she gently nibbled his lower lip as he winced from her persistent grip. "Slow down..." he panted, his shaking hands now urgently reaching for hers, trying his best to not become too overwhelmed with this shivering heat that burned him from the inside out. "I… I want to tell you something…" he struggled to say, shivering all over from her freezing touch, smiling as she allowed his fingers to wrap around hers, pulling her now freezing hands up and to his chest.

"What is it?" she smiled gently, leaning in to kiss his chin, and then down his neck, slowly licking her way down his collar bone, unable to stop herself from tasting him as much as she could. She didn't want to waste a single second longer. He closed his eyes and panted, losing his concentration easily and letting the fire engulf his heart. He released her hands only so his fingers could start to untie the ribbon that kept him away from her chest, now starting to glisten like melting snow… He suddenly wanted to take back his words, not wanting to ruin this moment, not wanting at all to ruin their much needed fun… He sighed and hungrily kissed her neck, forcing her fingers to grip tightly into his shoulders, his impatient hands grasping at her breasts, not caring anymore if they were still under a small layer of soft cotton… He missed her softness. He longed for her in every way, shape, and form, even just to be able to feel her dominance over him was enough to satisfy his relentless cravings for the ice goddess… Now more terrified to tell her something he was hiding deep within, more than he feared his return back to another bloody war. She had almost forgotten his words as her mind began to spin, her hands pushing him away only to help him find what he was looking for. Their eyes meeting again, their faces both flushed with passion, Elsa continued to unravel the ribbon, and then slowly untie the sash around her waist… Then, both her hands reached up to the tops of her shoulders… Stepping back so he could fully take in her glowing radiance, his eyes now drifting to her fingertips, she released the flowing garment and let is silently flow to the floor. He could only contain himself for a moment as he felt his cheek burn intensely, his mouth hanging slightly open as he watched her hands stroke up and down her bare sides slowly, her hands cupping and shielding her cold bare breasts, her legs hugging tightly against each other to conceal herself further. He absolutely adored her white thigh high stockings, with the cute pink bows decorating her flawless figure… If he didn't know any better, he could swear she was trying to impress him… The devilish smirk returned to his face as he rose from his seat, his large hands reaching out for her fingers, Elsa smiling back up at him, pressing her back against the wall once more. "Well, what… is it?" she whispered. He almost forgot, as he pressed his growth against her hip and struggled to remain focused.

"I…"Hans hesitated, gripping his fingers tighter into her grasp, leaning down to kiss her cheek, their eyes continuing to stare deeply into one another. "I…" he swallowed; she was taking his breath away… The queen released his hands and allowed his warm palms engulf her skin, his fingers delicately gripping into her bosom and making him silently groan, biting into his lower lip again to make sure he didn't make a sound. He closed his eyes and smothered her neck with more wet hot kisses, breathing her essence deep into his lungs. He was too weak, he couldn't do it... He inhaled deeply and sighed at his cowardice. "I need you, Elsa." He whispered. Not know what he really wanted to say, she smiled happily and wrapped her arms around his strong neck, pulling herself up to kiss his scared cheek as his hands went back to work, doing his best to forget his failure and press onward, his fingers searching for her sensitive pink buds. He couldn't let her down anymore… He wanted to make her happy and make her sing out in ecstasy once more, if it was possible for him to stop time and live in this moment with her forever, he would do it… But he wasn't a magician. He was a coward, and a fool, but for some reason she saw something that him that no one else could see… And that alone made him her slave… And he knew what her body really wanted. She finally began to moan herself as his fingers expertly played with her sensitive, small, yet tender teats, rolling her hardening nipples with more rhythm in his fingertips, gently tugging them as he leaned down and pulled her left breast into his mouth. She gasped and rolled her head back as he warmly licked and kissed her soft skin, quickly moving over to her other breast and his fingers making sure nothing wanting his attention was forgotten. She gripped her hands tightly into his wet hair as he kissed her chest more intensely, wishing they had something soft to fall onto, but she was happy enough to at least have privacy. Or, at least, she thought they did.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Elsa tried her hardest to listen to the creaking of the Admiral's old ship, unable to tell if the noise she heard was either a footstep, their bodies rocking against the aging wood, or if it was the growing rumble of thunder coming in from the fjord. The queen was unable to focus at all as she couldn't contain her gasps and moans, her will losing to Hans's perfect touch… Making her melt faster with each passing second. She gave up being spooked by the sounds surrounding them and grabbed the hungry prince by his sideburns, forcefully pulling him up from her soaked chest, and back up to her wanting soft lips. He moaned with a deep yearning as she kissed him deeply, not being able to control her tongue and sending him more cold shivers down his bare back. She couldn't bear the heat anymore; she needed him, right there and then.

"I… Command you, to sit back on your desk," Elsa smirked widely at the blushing Admiral, pressing her palms against his sculpted damp chest, pushing him back slowly… Hans smirked back and willfully submitted to her whims. "And hold on tight…" she whispered in his ear, gently nibbling and kissing his earlobe, making him shiver. She pushed him a little harder as he wiggled his way slightly more out of his confining uniform pants, trying to free his hips as she grew even more impatient. He'd rather take them off completely, but she didn't grant him a single second of free movement or time. As soon as he found his seat and bearings, she pressed her hands tightly on his shoulders and pushed herself up into his lap, pressing her wetness against his heat quickly, and forcing his large hands to grip into her thighs. He was careful not to rip the soft thin material of her stockings, as he caressed the back of her thighs with his fingertips, and ran them upward to grip her luscious rear. Elsa's hands now running up his neck and back into his hair, pulling him back to her mouth and tasting his fire, left small trails of frost kissing his freckled skin. Steam exiting their mouths as they exhaled, Hans gripped her tighter and thrusted as hard as he could upwards, giving her what she was begging for… Elsa couldn't contain her sharp gasps and moans as she threw her head back, losing all feeling below her knees as the pressure from the deep kiss she felt inside rocked her core. She gripped tightly on the back of his neck as she closed her eyes and began to grind her hips downward, easing him in even further and making her cry. He panted for air he watched her writhe against him, one hand gripping her hip, the other now grabbing the top of her mangled braid, his fingers entwining in her frosted pale blonde locks. Thunder rumbled louder and made the window of the galley shake, covering up Hans's heavy roars as Elsa's hips dominated him. Without warning, he found his hands behind his back, Elsa using her powers to conjure up a snowy wind to loosen his grip and control. She giggled with mischievous delight, ceasing her gyrations only to tickle her ice-like fingertips down his shoulders, to his rock hard arms, and down to his wrists, encasing them in a thick layer of ice behind his back. He gasped as he struggled to free himself, allowing Elsa the chance to push him one more time forcefully backward, Hans falling to the surface with a thud. He blinked in shock and stared up at the powerful ice queen, perched happily on his hips, pressing her knees down and ticking his chest more with her fingers. He squirmed and moaned helplessly as she teased him, the more he struggled, the harder she pushed herself against him. He could feel his girth hitting her wall, her cold embrace making him shiver uncontrollably. But the burn only made him want it even more, making him arc his back and try to push upwards with his hips.

She held her hands to her chest as she bounced endlessly, singing a song she's never sang before, smiling widely and pointing her chin to the air. Hans could only watch and succumb to the inferno as she bounced harder still, his eyes almost rolling into the back of his head. If he could only free his hands, he would grab those hips, and slow her down so he could last longer… But his attempts were futile, and all he could do was save his strength and let her win. Never had he ever felt anything like this before, to be this helpless, to feel this enraging fire burn through his pores… The fire now turning his vision blurry, he wouldn't be able to last much longer.

"Elsaaa!" he cried, another rumble of thunder, now being followed by a flash of lightning. "Elsaa!" he cried harder. The pain was becoming almost too much for him. She couldn't hear his pleas over her own cries of ecstasy and the rain, now lost to her own uncontrollable desire, eyes closed and mouth wide open. There was that amazing build up again, this time approaching her so violently she wasn't able to control it… The tidal wave consuming them, she cried out as she fell forward, still thrusting as hard as she possibly could, her hands now gripping his shoulders. He felt himself burst over and over in unison with her gasps, thrusting upward as best he could, crying out as she forced him to come intensely and without mercy. Letting her own intense climax wash over her like the rising tide, she allowed herself to press her chest against his, wrapping her arms around his neck, still not releasing him from her grip and still gyrating. Not wanting at all to let him go and to let these sensations leave them… She wanted to keep him inside her for as long as possible… She gasped softly as he thrusted one last time, making her look up at his exhausted smile. She immediately missed his lips and gently pulled herself up just a bit, so she could taste them again… Her cold hand gently stroking his scarred cheek, he smiled and kissed her lovingly back, both sighing with contentment. They kissed like this for a good few minutes as their bodies tried to recover, the thunder rumbles outside now erupting into crashes. The admiral's ship creaked in protest to the storm, and their eruptive love-making. Ah, Hans loved the sound of the old boat rocking him to sleep… He was so calmed and happy, he could feel himself start to drift as Elsa continued to kiss his cheek and chin, still smiling and glowing. He was made happier once he realized this was the first time a woman bothered to visit him here… And to have it be her, like this, of all coincidences… He was too afraid to say a word at the risk of losing it all over again. He had a terrible habit of losing everything because of his mistakes... And how he made it to this point was difficult for him to grasp, but he didn't want to argue with the fates that brought him this goddess. But, there was a sudden loud creak that… Didn't sound like his sanctuary. It was subtle, so much so this radiant queen that owned him, body and soul, would miss… But he spent his whole youth in this bucket, and he knew language of this gal fluently. That was not the voice of his ship.

His smile slowly faded as he listened closer, trying to muffle out the sweet sounds of the goddesses' sighs and kisses. He leaned up more and turned his head. Silence. As he became more suspicious, Elsa slowly started to sit up and hold one arm over her bust, trying to conceal herself. She yawned a bit and rubbed her eyes sleepily with one hand. Hans quickly sat up as soon as she freed him, and his emerald eyes immediately tried to peek out the slightly opened door. That wasn't opened before... As his blood ran colder, and not in the way he was starting to prefer, he held his breath tightly as Elsa smiled again and giggled, going back to kissing his neck. He hushed her sharply, alarming her and making her look twice into his eyes.

"My queen please get dressed at once." He whispered as quietly as he could, trying not to alarm her. He looked into her watering sapphires, and his expression softened… She was unbearably cute, and oh how he hated how their bliss was always ruined… He wanted more than anything to kiss her, and have his turn at getting their way… But right now all he could think about was her safety. "Trust… me." He breathed, reassuring her with a deep kiss. As soon as she climbed down to her feet, he sprung to his heels and grunted as he clenched his fists as hard as he could. The ice cuffing his arms then snapped, freeing his arms and allowing his hands to, take care of business swiftly and tie his pants closed. Without hesitating, he reached for his sword, Elsa silently and effortlessly using her frost to glide her airy gown over her head. As she struggled to tie her sash back around her waist, Hans slowly unsheathed his sword, and opened the door without a sound. Elsa stood back, and fixed her hair and held her breath. She was so confused, and suddenly afraid, as he left her alone in the darkness, the sound of the growing storm outside only making her more anxious. Hans grit his teeth as his eyes darted around the darkness, looking for anything out of place or order. She couldn't just… stand there anymore and be afraid, as a, minute felt more like an hour… Elsa silently peeked around the door way… A flash of lightning abruptly bringing light to what couldn't be seen. She gasped in horror as Hans stepped further away from her, focused on a hat placed on a barrel when the shadow behind him grew larger.

"Behind you!" the queen screamed, leaping forward and blasting a thick bolt of ice towards the threat. The prince's sharp eyes looked over his shoulder, and raised his elbow up to the thief's nose, smashing it, just as the ugly man was about to strike with his dagger. The man, his flimsy weapon, and a stack of unopened letters, crumpled to their feet, unconscious and lodged within in a frozen cube. Elsa ran forward, eyes wide with shock, and threw her arms around her admiral. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" she looked up and down his bare chest and arms, looking for any flaw. Hans took in a deep breath and laughed weakly, dropping his sword and rubbed his hands along her shoulders, pulling her in for a warm, slow kiss. This was one of the first times someone actually cared enough to look out for his back for a change…

"I'm fine…" he smiled. They reach for each other's hands and held tightly, Elsa still refusing to admit to herself, for her heart's sake, that there was something she saw in his eyes that she couldn't ignore. She felt herself blushing and turning rosy, and had to look away… As she looked down at her feet, she noticed the large amount of letters… All marked with royal red seals. She reached for a few and handed them over to the prince.

"What are these? What on earth?" she looked back down at the sleeping thief with disgust and tapped the ice trapping his limps with her foot. Hans quickly ripped several open and began to read.

"These are all reports of ships going missing down south!" he shouted. "These are old too, and addressed to me from two weeks ago… Why would someone be trying to keep these from me!?" he grew more angry the more he scanned the parchment for more details. Elsa reached her hand up to his shoulder, and sighed, more confused than ever. And more afraid for their well being too. They had to get to the bottom of this… If spies from this mysterious enemy are popping up already... The more more mind raced, the more anxious she felt.

"I'll call for a counsel at once." Elsa tried to avert his eyes away from the bad news and back to her, she needed his confidence.

"No." Hans threw the papers on the floor in frustration. "No, I have a bad feeling. I think it would probably be best if you didn't tell anyone about this."

"What about… this creep!?" Elsa shouted. "I want to put him in my dungeon, and I want him to answer some questions."

"I'll throw him in one of the cells aboard one of the transport vessels… He must be working for my father's enemy… But why and how he got here is beyond me…" Hans held his hand to his chin in deep thought. Remembering the unopened letters he left in his room, he stomped over to them quickly, ripping them all open in a flash. "He must've been sneaking after these. Another report of a missing ship, and this time, casualties." He sighed heavily. "I guess I was wrong about the approach from northern waters. I was starting to suspect a distraction, and then a surprise attack from the north… But now that it seems the southern blockade is failing… But still, that doesn't make sense…" he paced back and forth, Elsa trying her hardest to follow him… "If there's another battle happening in the south, then… How are so many trade ships making it through, untouched?"

"Hans, you need to tell me everything you know." Elsa held her hand to his back, trying her best to reassure him, to maybe get some clarity.

"I… I can't. Not because I don't want to, but I honestly don't know anything else." He turned and looked her straight in her gorgeous blue eyes… "I need to find out what I can from the king…" he frowned. "Until then, you can't trust anyone." he gripped her hands tightly within his. "And don't ever walk outside the castle gates alone. Please my queen..."he sighed, gently grasping her chin with his fingers, kissing her petal soft lips and not wanting to let go.

"I promise..." Elsa sighed, her eyes watering as she did her best to remain strong and calm, but she still felt desperate for more answers...


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

The sound of the admiral's boots stomping through the halls echoed loudly. He wouldn't allow his father to ignore him any longer, not with so much at stake. He clenched his gloved hands tightly as he steadily marched to the one place he knew where the king would be hiding, and despite his fears, his determination made him unstoppable. There was no room for fear when something he cared about for the first time was being threatened, and he had the power to do something about it.

"Father! I know you are in there and you WILL speak to me!" the prince shouted, pounding his fist on the heavy wooden door. There was no answer. The anger and frustration now starting to boil over, he stepped back and swiftly kicked the door in with a loud bang. The king jumped from his seat, pulling his eyes away from his card game, his most trusted military leaders sitting around him in a circle filled the room with heavy cigar smoke. "You are dismissed gentlemen; I have a few words to exchange with the king. Alone." Hans saluted the old men as they sneered at him, angrily pushing themselves out of their seats. He kept his eyes focused on the pompous, un-caring man who never called him by his own name.

"Boy, what the HELL is this about!?" the red king threw his hands on the table, sending chips and cards flying in all directions. "Who says you can just walk in my game and tell MY men what to do!" the beast's eyes turned red as he spat with rage. "You're god damn lucky you're _needed_ so damn much!"

"You can go back to your 'duties' once you tell me what's going on with the war at sea." Hans leaned closer and pressed his fists firmly on the table, making eye contact and proving to the king that he wasn't going to back down. "I want to know everything you know." The king suddenly calmed down, and rolled his eyes, slumping back into his oversized armchair. He laughed loudly and threw his hands up in the air.

"There is nothing TO know boy! Look, if you're getting antsy and want to get back to what you do best… Then by all means, go. But you're not going to find anything." He laughed more. Hans refused to play his usual game.

"You told me, when I first went to you, about my suspicions about a surprise attack, that the blockade was still in place. Then HOW have you been able to manage all these damn shipments into the fjord? WHY are some of my ships going missing and letters of mine vanishing!?" The king sighed, and sat back, throwing his dirty boots up to rest his legs. Hans tried his best to not mention that spy; he feared that if he knew that he found him, his reaction would be violent.

"How did you find out about those ships anyway…" the king tried to think back, but he vaguely remembers any official meetings he's had since arriving. He shrugged it off. "Boy you're getting too obsessed with battle… Don't you think my ships are capable enough to handle their own? And your… Toys, just can't hold up to the eastern kingdom's forces without you to guide them?"

"Why didn't you tell me about my missing ships? Those men could be DEAD." Hans shouted.

"Since when did you care about the lives of your men?" the king scoffed. "Please, boy I have a hard enough time conquering lands for your…" he counted slowly on his fingers. "Twelve older, more capable brothers to rule over. I don't have the patience to continuously coddle you and your little tantrums when I have an army to build for my queen." He raised his hand and pointed to the door. "Your time is up." He smirked. Hans wanted to slap the ugly beard right off his face.

"YOUR queen!?" Hans shouted, the color rushing out from his face. The king sneered hard, and slowly rose to his feet, towering over his youngest son.

"Boy… It's clear to me that your place isn't here anymore. It's back at sea. Where you belong, where you should stay. Where you should've stayed. The only place you deserve to be." The king violently flipped the card table over without effort, sending Hans flying backward and crashing chairs in all directions. "You have ONE WEEK to gather your fleet and men and I want you GONE." He screamed.

"No!" Hans screamed back, now almost as red as the king, almost wishing he had his sword with him. "I have a promise to keep to the kingdom of Arendelle, that I would protect her from YOUR war! And I intend to keep that promise!"

"That is an ORDER ADMIRAL! Or do you want to go back to a life in a foot four wide box…" the king was shaking with fury, stomping forward, raising his hands to his son's neck. Hans's eyes grew wide, his back now pressed against the wall. The king violently grabbed his collar and slammed him hard, holding him up and dangling his boots above the floor. "You know, this is the first time I can remember you standing up for yourself like this, I'm impressed." He half-laughed, threatening to clench his neck within his fist. "But you've overstayed your welcome a long time ago; consider yourself lucky to still be alive. I know damn well what's making you tick, and I guarantee you something just, terrible could happen if I see you even look at her one more time... You have seven days to count your blessings and disappear."

The one thing spending years out on a ship taught Hans that biding your time, and developing a good sense of patience, was key to winning the upper hand in almost any situation. It paid almost every time to choose your battles wisely… Shaking uncontrollably with frustration, he had no choice but to look him in the eye...

"Yes, your majesty." He gagged, his weight being released with a thud against the floor. The King simply walked out of the room, immediately composing himself and smiled as if nothing even happened.

Elsa found her mind wandering a lot more than usual during her meetings with her sister during the warm afternoons… Especially since it had been two whole days since the traumatic events that unfolded during that intense thunderstorm. It was difficult to give her little sister her full attention when all she could think about was that spy, the king, and him… And why he was suddenly giving her a colder shoulder than she was giving him initially… All she wanted was to talk to him now more than ever before, nothing complicated… So what happened to cause him to suddenly vanish?

"Elsa? I did you like the train on this one or not?" Anna held up several sketches and samples of fabrics for her special dress. Elsa blushed as she completely forgot what they were talking about. "Everything alright? You seem awfully distracted today…"

"Me? Distracted?" Elsa tapped her hands nervously on her lap. Anna smirked and pointed down to the floor, where she had accidentally turned the room into an ice-rink without realizing it. The queen laughed nervously as she thawed it quickly with one tap of her shoe.

"So, what's going on?" Anna tucked away her dreams for just a moment, folding her giant notebook. She smiled and reached for her big sister's hand. Elsa didn't have the ability to fake a smile today, and Anna clenched her cold hands warmly, trying her best to comfort her.

"I'm just… Really… Concerned. About that awful war to the south. And a few other things." She sighed and looked away. Anna really wanted to know more, but, she knew well enough not to try and pry things out of her until she was ready. She was happy enough that she was doing her best to spend so much time with her lately in the first place.

"Hey, look, if you want to take a break from my planning for a little bit and just concentrate on your other duties…"

"No, no… That's the last thing I want to do." Elsa squeezed her hands back. "You are my priority."

"And you are too!" Anna smiled. "That's why I don't want you to burn yourself out before the big day."

"Anna…" Elsa sighed, not knowing how to communicate the confusion and doubt she was feeling, not sure how exactly she was feeling herself. Her puzzled expression only worried her sister further.

"Why don't you call it a night early huh?" Anna rose from their seat in their cozy study, and pulled her sister up with her. "I can use the time to go find Kristoff for an early dinner." She winked and forced a small laugh from Elsa.

"I, I suppose I could use a night to myself…" Elsa's mind immediately began to run with ideas. "To gather my thoughts."

"There you go. Treat yourself to some special queen time!" Elsa wasn't entirely thinking of herself however, trying her best to think of where the admiral would be during this sunset… Making the butterflies return, she couldn't stop her mind from questioning herself, and why she really wanted to see him. Was it because she really was scared? "Maybe you could use as vacation this summer." Or did she want to just… See him? Just look in his eyes and wonder if they were still sparkling… Was he troubled? Did she anger him? Maybe he wouldn't want to see her at all? Why can't she stop torturing herself like this? "Elsa!" shouted Anna, gripping her shoulder tightly. "I was just talking to you for five minutes, and all you did was just stare at me and then made it start snowing in the room again!" Elsa looked around and saw the flurries starting to collect on the furniture.

"Oh, I'm sorry…" Elsa winced with embarrassment, and quickly made the snow fly out the windows with a wave of her hand.

"What has gotten into you lately?" Anna pleaded, this was the first time in a while she was seeing her sister lose control so suddenly… Elsa nervously bit her lower lip, and looked away, just too afraid and ashamed to even admit to herself what her heart was trying so hard to tell her. But she couldn't listen. She refused to. She couldn't hurt her one and only sister… She kept repeating to herself, that her country and her family were the only things that mattered… Conceal, don't feel… She sighed deeply, and did her best to silence the storm brewing within her.

"I think I'm just overwhelmed and need a good night's sleep." Elsa tried her best to smile. "I'll be ok."

"Well, if you need me… Please just, talk to me, ok?" Anna weakly smiled back, not convinced at all that everything was ok.

The sunset that once lit the halls with a red glow, now began to fade into darkness, the deeper Elsa quickly and silently searched the castle. She looked everywhere she could possibly think to look… Except for outside… But it was getting darker by the minute. Trying to gather her bearings, she quietly peered through an open window, noticing the clouds obscuring the sun. Breathing in the fresh air, she allowed herself to rest a moment, and debated whether her search was a good idea after all… But, if he knew something she didn't, and it regarded what she was beginning to fear, it was worth going through the trouble. Or… Was it just an excuse to hear his voice again…

"Your majesty… You're done hiding from me and ignoring me. It's ok, I intimidate many…" a gruff voiced echoed, sending a cold chill down her back. She had been so foolish, why didn't she just go back to her room like Anna suggested? She refused to look over her shoulder, and continued to focus on the horizon. "You look quite, ravishing, this evening." The voice sneered. She felt sick to her stomach… "You know you never even once asked me my name?" he was getting impatient and angry. She gulped, and closed her eyes.

"You have a name?" she smirked.

"It's Leopold Johan Westergard the third." The beast frowned, trying to not let his frustration get the better of him again. Elsa laughed internally at his seriously poor excuse to impress her. "But, you, my queen…" he reached for her tiny hand, and pulled it up to his mouth. "Can call me Leo, like a lion." He winked. She gasped in disgust and pulled away immediately, pressing her back closer to the windowsill. "Your games are cute, but they're starting to get old." The king rolled his eyes and grunted.

"The one thing that's old here is you!" she snapped back, letting her anger speak for herself. Slamming his palm against the wall next to her, he forced himself to loom above and did his best to use his wide body to block her from an escape.

"Fight it all you want, but you know you need some more experience." He hissed, his white angry eyes showing Elsa is inner monster. She couldn't stand it anymore; the anger she tried to hold back now bubbled over and forced her hands to move on their own, a fist now flying into the red king's gut. He began to gag and slumped down, holding his abdomen in his shaking arms. As he struggled to breathe, the ice queen stomped her heel into the floor and a pillar of ice shot up, landing a hard uppercut into the fool's narrow chin. He fell onto his back completely stunned.

"I think my experience speaks for itself! And army or no army, you've overstayed your welcome." She stood over him, one hand on her hip, the other hand forming a large snowball.

"You're… You're a stupid woman." He coughed, struggling to pull himself up onto his elbows. "You can't survive without our treaty…" he wiped the small trail of blood falling from his nose with the back of his hand.

"And you're a stupid king for thinking you could cross me. Consider our treaty fulfilled, and run home as soon as the next ship is scheduled to leave. Until then, you better not be in my sights." Elsa formed her snowball into a sharp icicle, her hand gripping it tightly, and her fears flowing out of her completely. She regretting allowing herself to ever think he could have any power over her. She would never let that happen again. He growled silently, unable to fight back and furious to be continuously embarrassed by her.

"You're going to regret this; you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. You had one chance to save yourself you selfish whore." He attempted to rise, but Elsa threw her ice to his feet with a blast, freezing the king in place, leaving only his head free to wriggle and wince in pain.

"Guards!" Elsa shouted loudly, and leaned out the window, shouting out once more for help. "Take this unwelcome guest to his quarters and see that he is escorted at all times until he leaves! The Southern Isles have done enough for Arendelle!" She commanded, as many solider steps began to flood the hall. The infuriated red king continued to glare deeply at her, his burning rage only steadily growing and fueling his insanity even further. Elsa stepped back and crossed her arms, refusing to show him any doubt or weakness, glaring right back and making him even angrier for denying him any satisfaction. As the guards struggled to lift the ice block, and the king began to throw a tantrum, Elsa's mind began to run. Her eyes widened as she remembered one thing, and she had to find the admiral as soon as she could... She quickly brainstormed… And grabbed the arm of a free guard who tried not to laugh as five men attempted to carry the pompous icicle step by shaky step.

"I also command all guards to find Admiral Westergard at once, and to take him to the dungeon for immediate questioning."

"Yes my queen." The solider bowed and quickly ran to carry out his order. She sighed sadly, regretting her decision, but it was the only way to get her some real answers… And she was done waiting.

As the twilight and the humid rain clouds claimed the sky, a soft breeze flowed gently through the warm stables. Not much movement came from the cozy home of Sven and his newfound friends, but the silence was cut by a man's quiet laughter. The large reindeer stirred from his nap, and yawned, slowly rising to his feet with hay still sticking to his fur. He sniffed the air, and his tail began to wag as he licked his chops. He knew that smell. As he happily bounced from his stall, he stopped in his tracks once he saw who really woke him up. Surprised at the sight of Hans stroking the mane of his horse, Sven tried to back away without being noticed by this new person. But that smell kept him curious, and once he saw the strange man reach into a bucket for a large carrot… He immediately won his trust.

"It's so good to see you Sitron." Hans smiled warmly, patting the happy fjord horse with his bare hands, his blue sleeves rolled up and over his elbows. He was thrilled to see his old friend; once he had learned he was still here he had to see him. His mind was a mess, and no one seemed to help calm his nerves better than his horse. He tried to spend as much time with him as he could, wanting to run from all his troubles. He had no idea how he was going to approach the queen again, especially since he had yet to make up his mind about leaving… He sighed, deep in thought. "Looks like they've been treating you well…" Sitron smiled as much as a horse could as he chewed on his carrot, looking up at his reindeer friend and neighed with a full mouth. Sven stared with hunger and desperation, too afraid to move any closer. He drooled and panted like a dog. Hans couldn't help but laugh and grabbed another carrot and held it out to him. "Don't be shy, join the party." He held it out a little further, forcing Sven to lean in to sniff harder and harder. Slowly he tip-toed toward the irresistible smell, his hunger dictating his actions more than anything else. Han dangled it above his head now, stepping back and smirking, forcing Sven to look up and try and grab it with a light jump. Taking the opportunity from the distraction, Hans reached in with his free hand and gently patted Sven's muzzle, allowing him to finally grab his reward, and at the same time gaining more of his trust. He chewed loudly and happily as his new friend continued to pet him, Sitron nuzzling Hans's back with jealousy. "Nice to make a new buddy." He chuckled, and reached down to grab two more carrots.

"I could say the same thing." Hans quickly stood up straight, taken off guard and not thinking anyone else would be nearby. His cheeks turned bright red once he noticed he wasn't alone, and of all people to spot him talking to animals, it was Anna's new fiancé… "I know, awkward, right?" smiled Kristoff, leaning on the doorway to the large horse stall. "Wasn't expecting to see you here at all. Especially hanging out with my best friend." He crossed his arms, raising his one eyebrow at Sven, ignorant to Kristoff's concerns.

"My apologies." Hans coughed, brushing himself off and grabbing the bucket of carrots and hiding it behind his back. "I was… just…"

"Saying hi to your horse?" The awkward silence grew heavier as Sven tried to peek around Hans's back.

"…He looks great, glad he's been in good hands." Hans cleared his throat, ignoring Sven's nudging on his shoulder.

"…Yeah, I've been keeping an eye on them… Elsa has been riding Sitron too for lessons, so he does get out a lot…" More awkward silence. Kristoff noticed Sven snort with frustration and couldn't help but laugh a little bit as Hans learned the hard way that you don't get between him and his favorites. He jumped once Sven nibbled his arm, forcing him to drop the spoils onto the ground, freeing the rest of the goods to both the impatient reindeer and his jolly horse.

"That means he likes you." Kristoff laughed, amused a little too much at Hans's pain, who could only rub his arm and nervously force a smile.

"I'd hate to see what he'd do if he didn't." Hans chuckled, stepping away from his new 'friend'.

"…Look." Kristoff stepped closer, his smile hardening into a serious stare. "You did some pretty horrible things." Hans could only wait and see what he had to say, expecting what he had coming to him… Bracing himself for the worse. "Really, really horrible things… And I really, really, want to punch you for it." Hans took in a deep breath as Kristoff unfolded his arms, gripping his large fists tightly. Considering how things have been going for him lately, why wouldn't he get decked? "…But, I'm not going to do it. But only because Sven told me not to." He frowned. "So you better thank him." Hans blinked in disbelief. Kristoff coughed loudly, reassuring him he was serious. He decided it was best to play along… He reached over and gently patted the fluffy reindeer on his side.

"Thank you, very much Sven, for not punching me. You are really too kind, generous, and… more handsome." He nervously smiled. Kristoff nodded happily, and relaxed his stance.

"Good answer. So, you hang out in stables too huh?" Kristoff was very frank and to the point.

"Well, I suppose so, when I wasn't shipped out at sea I was usually with my horse when I was younger…" Hans turned back over to Sitron, feeling a little bittersweet that he wasn't a part of his life anymore, remembering how he would escape to go riding any chance he could get when he was a kid. That was punishment he felt he deserved as well… "He just was there to listen when no one else would I guess. That sounds odd, huh?" He walked over and hung the bucket and some grooming tools back on their proper hooks.

"Not really." Kristoff watched as Sven and Sitron played tug of war with the last carrot. "I can relate, in a way maybe... Sitron is a good listener."

"He's better off here anyway, having attention I couldn't give him anymore regardless... I am happy Queen Elsa has taken a liking to him, he has a good temperament for beginner riders." Hans sighed, walking towards the door, trying not to look Kristoff in the eye.

"…Sven is a good listener too." The blonde scruffy iceman coughed and looked down at the floor. "If there's something on your mind you want to say, just say it, he doesn't mind." Sven nodded in agreement as he chewed on his reward.

"I appreciate the offer, Sven, but take it from me, I don't have much to talk about." Smiled Hans. The silence claimed the air again, but it was suddenly interrupted by the sounds of stomping feet.

"Huh, wasn't expecting Anna here tonight either." Laughed Kristoff, half-kidding. Hans quickly turned pale and immediately looked for his escape.

"I'm so sorry if I'm interrupting anything…" Hans grabbed his uniform jacket, making for the exit.

"Don't worry about it." Kristoff sat down on a barrel of hay, happily waiting for Anna and her priceless reactions. But it wasn't Anna that greeted them. It was one of the royal guards.

"Admiral Westergard, you are to come with me at once." The solider grabbed Hans's arm roughly, and pulled him out of the stables. Kristoff immediately following, Sven close behind.

"On what grounds!?" Hans shouted, angrily pulling from the man's tight grip.

"You are being called in for questioning, by orders of her majesty, Queen Elsa." The young guard barked, pulling even harder and tripping Hans forward and onto the ground. As Hans coughed into the dirt, the guard quickly cuffed the admiral's arms behind his back. Kristoff could only stand there with his mouth open, unsure of what to do or say.

"…The, the queen!?" Hans gasped, the guard now dragging him to his feet, a second solider now appearing to help escort the prince to the dungeon. Hans struggled, not letting them do their job easily. What on earth, why was she doing this? His mind spun out of control with confusion as they continued to drag his weight, still in too much of a shock to let himself be escorted without a fuss. But, if she wanted him, how could he possibly say no? But what possessed her to go to such lengths? He was worried if his efforts to ignore her… Worked way too well… He closed his eyes and tried to calm down, hoping for the best.

"What on earth did you do!?" gasped Anna, running up to Kristoff from their hidden path behind the stable, grabbing Kristoff's limp hand.

"It wasn't me, it was Elsa!" Kristoff shouted, the two of them watching on, admittedly amused still by this sudden turn of events.

"I… can't believe Elsa is arresting him, after all that fussing she did after the party. I need to find out what's going on…" Anna sighed, not looking forward to forcing an answer out from her older sister. Kristoff's mind began to wander… Replaying the conversation he just had with the admiral in the stable.

"Tell me more about the… Fuss she made. What exactly did she say about Hans?"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Elsa held her breath as she climbed down the narrow, dark staircase, burning torch in her left hand. The light guided her careful footsteps as she led the small group of royal guards behind her. Despite the persistent humidity that lingered in the air of the fjord, the dungeon remained considerably cold. The men behind her shivered in their cloaks, but the queen hardly noticed, wearing her favorite sparkling blue gown and moving swiftly through the cold breeze. She paused only to allow the men to catch up.

"…Which cell?" asked Elsa, almost whispering, not wanting her voice to echo through the walls too loudly.

"T-the third." The captain shivered so hard his teeth chattered. Elsa reached for the keys as she moved forward, not wanting to wait. The footsteps shook the prince out from his nap, not realizing he had fallen asleep sitting up, his cold aching back stiff against the brick wall. With no more light filling in the small room from his one barred window, he had a hard time adjusting his eyes to the darkness. He slowly managed to stand to his feet the louder the footsteps became, forgetting his hands were shackled behind his back, tethering him to the ground and far from the door. His shoulders immediately ached as his arms snapped behind him, the chains loudly tightening their grasp in protest to his curiosity. More déjà vu… In more ways than one. Hans closed his eyes and took several deep breaths as the unlocking of the cell door made his stomach churn with uncertainty.

"Thank you for your assistance, gentlemen, but I can manage from here." Said the queen, stepping inward, hanging the bright torch onto a hook next to the door.

"But, your majesty, if I may-"

"I only want to ask a few questions. You are excused, go warm up and see that the 'king' is on his best behavior." Elsa smiled confidently, crossing her arms and raising her one eyebrow. The captain dared not cross her.

"Of, of course your majesty. As you wish." He hesitantly, but hurriedly stepped backwards into the hall, remembering to light a new torch before facing the cold. Elsa watched out the small window from the heavy cell door, always reminding herself to make sure every door she locked at a reassuring layer of ice. The prince slowly opened his eyes again, and watched the stunning ice queen watch as the last light of the soldiers disappeared from sight.

"I suppose you want privacy…" Hans couldn't hide his smirk. "But you could've just, sent me a detailed letter if you wanted me so badly…" Elsa quickly glared over her bare shoulder and turned slowly to face him, her arms still sternly crossed at her chest. The absence of her smile worried him…

"Does this room seem, familiar to you?" the queen stepped slightly closer, away from the heat of the burning fire. The prince's smirk quickly faded. He looked around more carefully, starting to shiver from the cold, but hiding it to the best of his ability.

"…Perhaps." He was afraid to be honest. He stepped back a little further, Elsa's blue eyes growing colder, piercing through his defenses. The more he withdrew from her advance, the more the clouds began to part and let partial moonlight guide his steps.

"You know very well the history of this cell." Elsa raised her hand up to her hair, releasing her bun and allowing her braid to fall down her shoulders. She sighed as she ran her fingers through her bangs and released more of her silver locks, taking in a deep breath as the moonlight made her dress shimmer in the shadows. He was breathless, his skin growing number, unable to feel his feet shivering in his boots. "You put me here yourself." She glared, forcing him to sigh with shame.

"…I understand. But why, all of a sudden, the change of heart? Considering the way things went the last time we," he cleared his throat, "spoke, and… I thought you trusted me-"

"I demand answers Hans." Elsa shouted, raising her hand to the ceiling, slowly forming a layer of beautifully detailed frost against the walls around them. The temperature of the cell now plummeting, the prince now visibly shaking, his gasps of sudden pain forming small clouds in the still air. The longer he remained silent, unsure of what to say, the more cold the cell became. Frost now turning into sharp icicles that hung from the ceiling, the fire that once lit the room now vanished into a puff of smoke.

"…What? What is going on? What happened? Why all of sudden-"

"I'm the one asking the questions." She whispered, stepping closing, ignoring the warmth growing in her chest the closer she moved to his shivering body. His pale skin in obvious pain, the thin dark blue fabric failed terribly to provide his chest and strong arms any warmth. His thick black uniform pants didn't help either, nor did the leather of his soles. His lips starting to show a pale shade of blue, the queen did her best to ignore any pity she felt and remind herself how dangerous and disgusting his father was, and by account she just couldn't trust his motives anymore either. She refused to let herself forget how close the prince's sword came to her throat… How she never wanted to allow herself to fall into another situation like that again, despite all the things he's said and done recently. The past could not be repeated no matter how she thought she felt. She allowed anger to fill her heart instead as she refused to lose herself to the light that burned behind those green eyes. She stood her ground as she looked up into his shaking face, his cheeks beginning to glow red. Not just from the cold, but from how her fierceness brought a fire back deep within his chest, helping his heart thaw just slightly. It took all her strength to forget the heat he made her feel when he held her against him… "Why is your father here? Really?" her eyes fluttered, unable to hide her longing for his touch. Hans took in another deep sigh.

"It's obvious by now he intends to marry you."

"I've established that already. And I've recently put him in his place once he finally made me an offer he thought I couldn't refuse; he won't be bothering me OR my family anymore." Hans tried his best to hold his tongue and not smile. He wanted to know how she did it so badly, no one ever stood up to him before, especially a woman. He would've done anything to have been there to see it. "But there has to be another reason, more than just that."

"I tried to figure that out… But…"

"Why were you ignoring me?" Elsa interrupted. "What are you hiding?" Hans tried to not look directly into her sapphires; she weakened him every time…

"…Elsa, please. Please understand that I never came here to harm you, or anyone, or your home in any way. I only wanted to find some way to fulfill that hole I gave to myself for the mistakes I've made in the past. I hoped that if I could somehow protect the kingdom I once tried to steal, that I could move on with my life without pain. And I know these for walls. I know the pain I caused you, because I lived it every single day after I left. And these past few weeks here have been… Everything to me." Elsa shook her head in disbelief at his words.

"That's still not good enough." Her lips trembled, but not from the cold. "That's not telling me the whole truth."

"What… What more do you want from me?" Hans stepped forward, desperate to reach out to her but the cold chains and shekels painfully pulled at his skin. He winced and looked away, trying his best to quell his anger.

"Were you planning anything with him, to dethrone me? To hurt me?"

"NO." Hans shouted, pulling hard at his restraints. "Not me! I shouldn't have come back, but I only hoped to fix what I've broken!"

"But what about your king!" Elsa shouted back, her frustration forcing her hands to blast sharp layers of ice at her prisoner's fee.

"I told you, I tried! But you can't just force information out of that man; he's conquered every kingdom he's been getting his hands on lately, and according to him I'm completely worthless. If he wanted your throne, he could've just…taken it with his army…" Hans swallowed, still unable to look her straight in the eyes, ashamed of every word leaving his mouth. "But his army has been occupied with the war down south; he has no ships left aside from mine. Which is why… Even I can't figure out why he's been able to get so comfortable up here. Especially now, with more of my men disappearing… If anything, he's using me to get to you somehow!" Elsa continued to make the ice grow, now consuming his calves and working its way up to his knees. He gasped in pain and his eyes widened. "Elsa!"

"How do I know you aren't working together?" she refused to lighten her cold grasp, her expression remaining firm as he struggled harder.

"I… I can't stand that… Bastard…!" he could barely speak, tears now welling up in his eyes. "And he… Can't stand… Me. I am nothing… But a mistake." He gasped. "And I was stupid… Enough to underestimate you once… Before… I will never doubt… Your power, again." He panted, forcing his eyes to focus on hers, wanting her to believe in his words now more than ever.

"So what is it you're hiding from me then!?" she pleaded, now reaching forward and gripping the thin material of his shirt, pulling herself closer to his chest. If he wasn't being held back, he would practically throw his arms around her, and it pained him to not be able to hold her, more than the ice on his bare skin. He leaned down as much as he could, desperate to press his lips against hers, desperate to make her feel how he felt, to make her trust him once and for all…

"I… I can't tell you…" he could hardly breathe, his lungs burning for oxygen. He just didn't have the strength to be honest with her, and tell her that the only way for him to get real answers, was to return to the war. He just couldn't bear the pain he knew he would feel to tell her, he would rather face the pain of another blade piercing through his skin. Elsa silently cried with frustration, her fingers gripping harder at the fabric, pulling it roughly.

"You can't just, expect me to trust you like nothing has happened, when you can't even tell me everything I know you're keeping from me!" she shouted, ripping the shirt apart and off his shoulders, throwing the ripped fragments on the floor. Hans gasped as his freckled skin blushed from the exposure to the freezing cold, unable to move as the ice that had stopped growing at his knees, now creeped further up his thighs. Ignoring the perfection of his sculpted body, Elsa ran her hands down to his hips, keeping her anger filled eyes locked into his. "Why can't you tell me?" she begged, the ice gripping tighter into his legs, forcing him to wince in deeper pain, his silence making her even more frustrated. Maybe he really was faking it all this entire time... She looked down at where her fingertips floated, hovering right below his exposed belly button. Was he really worth all this emotional turmoil she was putting herself through… She could leave him just like this, she thought, just like how he left her a few years ago… Abandoned. Lied to… How easy it would be walk away and never look back. But… Her fingers danced gently against his soft skin, making him wince more but not from pain… She bit her lower lip as she allowed her fingertips indulge themselves, and softly stroke the tops of his smooth exposed hips… Her palms unable to restrain from squeezing his backside… she leaned in and took in a deep breath, smelling that unique smell only he had… Making her shiver almost as bad as he was. "Give me one good reason… Why I should trust you…" she whispered, closing her eyes, and leaned upward, brushing her lips against his bare neck only slightly. He shuddered violently and struggled to swallow.

"I thought I gave you… Several reasons…" Hans held his breath as he felt her lips continue to drift down his neck and across his collar bone, her hands how trailing back the front of his stomach. "Every time you let me inside you I hoped I was good enough." Elsa's cheeks burned as she did her best to hide her reaction, her eyes trailing down where her hands were exploring. She wanted to make him moan again… And despite the intense burning and needle-like sensation of the ice claiming his lower limbs, her breathing against his neck sent sensations down below that he felt were impossible to ignore. He knew he should be on his best behavior, but was only human… It was almost more painful that the ice to quell the pressure building up inside him. He couldn't stay angry with her, even when she was torturing him… Even just smelling her sent his senses wild and he craved her, all of her, just to be able to taste her strength would be enough to soothe his lonely soul. Finally her hands found and caressed his inevitable hard on.

"You're… More than enough… Admiral…" she whispered back, watching her thin fingers press and feel his growing heat, forcing him to grow even larger and harder the more she pressed back. She gripped even harder and felt the outline of his shape through the thick fabric. He groaned loudly and arched his back as much as he could from the ache she gave him. "But…" Elsa sighed, stepping back, not wanting to stop herself, but she had to. Her willpower surprised herself as his eyes widened with disappointment, his mouth hanging open in pain. "I don't know… What you really want from me, when there's so little making sense… I need more than what you've given me so far." she raised her left hand and made a fist, the ice claiming his thighs now racing upward and clenching tightly over his thighs, trapping his fresh erection in a freezing prison. He tried to scream, but the burning that overtook his lungs stole his voice. All he could do was stammer in shock, unable to lean forward due to the relentless chains that held him back mercilessly. "Just tell me what you really want! Just tell me the truth!" Elsa shouted, wanting to believe in him, wanting to believe more than anything that maybe just for once, she was wrong with her fear. That maybe he actually wasn't there to hurt her, or change her, or to claim her. She thought back to the very first night he came back. The very first time she kissed him. Why she was weak then, but not now. Was it really Hans that she was interrogating? Or was she really questioning herself? But she couldn't forget about protecting her sister, her home… Herself. She needed to protect her heart. She couldn't let it go. Unable to take the burning pain that squeezed the life out of his groin, humiliating him more than he could bear; Hans finally caved in and let out a sharp cry.

"Elsa!" he gasped, writhing in pain, leaning as forward as his shackles would allow him, doing his best to focus his weary eyes into hers, determined to prove to her once and for all that he was not the same man she first met. "I… I'm in love with you. The moment you let me into your room that night and pitied me ..." he paused… losing himself in her teary stare… "I fell madly in love… Elsa you're one incredible woman…"his voice trailed off as he lost his composure once again to the cold surrounding his weakening body. With one quick wave of her hand, the ice that had stole all sensations from his lower limbs, broke and fell to the floor like broken glass. Instantly the prince fell to his knees, completely numb and unable to move, shivering out of control and turning ghastly pale. Elsa held her hands up to her face in terror, finding it impossible to comprehend what he just said. It was far too much of a shock for her to digest right away… Tears sneaking their way out onto her cheeks, turning into soft snowflakes, she silently drifted down by his side, not sure how to react. But she immediately wanted to take away his unjustified suffering… She placed her hands on his shaking shoulders, closing her eyes and trying her best to calm him down. The frost that had grown in the cell and at their feet slowly began to thaw, bringing the temperature back up to a normal cold chill. Hans tried his best to catch his breath, now dripping wet from the melting ice.

"Did, you really mean, what you said…?" Elsa asked, holding one arm around his cold bare shoulders, her other hand stroking his cheek and easing his red head onto her chest. He closed his eyes, and slowly his breathing returned to normal.

"My heart is yours." He allowed his weight to fall into her grasp, Elsa now wrapping both her arms around him, holding him in a warm embrace. She was speechless. "You are my weakness, my queen." Unable to think of a response, and unable to grasp her feelings, she gently eased him off of her, and reached behind him to free his wrists from his shackles. Once he was released, his hands immediately found her shoulders, and he gripped her tightly, forcing her to look directly into him. Elsa held her breath slightly with fear, her eyes watering they stared into one another, his red hair a mess and covering his brow. Her rosy cheeks began to glow brightly as he took in her beauty, not caring if she has no answer for him. He was just happy she freed him long enough for his hands to grasp her arms and pull her into his chest. He didn't want to hide it anymore, not if it meant hurting her. "I love you." He said with confidence, his emeralds burning with intensity as she felt herself grow limp against his body… Her lips longing to taste his, and he happily obliged her, his tongue hungry for her sweetness. As they kissed deeply, and deeper still, Elsa allowed her defenses to lower just for the moment, so she could throw her hands around his strong neck to taste him more. She didn't know what to say at all… All she wanted was to pretend that nothing else mattered at this moment and for the world to stop. He loved her. He loved her, she repeated in her mind over and over. She moaned gently in his mouth as he hesitantly pulled away, his hands stroking up and down her sides. As much as he was enjoying this… He was still in a considerable amount of pain. And as happy it made him that she didn't push him away further when he finally confessed… It troubled him even more that he still needed to tell her the worst possible thing he could say, especially now. He had to wait. He couldn't ruin such perfection… He didn't want to lose out on seeing that precious smile of hers, as she let herself giggle slightly with happiness. She quickly bit her lower lip and forced her happiness to continue hiding.

"Hans… I…" she hesitated, his weak yet eager smile making her melt… But, still, there was something keeping her from feeling completely at ease… She tried her best to conceal everything she could, and not allow anymore weakness to control her decisions. But… His kiss… His touch… The fire she saw and felt when she looked into those green eyes. How he seemed to have loneliness, she could understand… And the selfish part of her wanted him so badly…

"It's ok…" he smiled, his large hand caressing her cheek, forcing her to smile once more.

"I guess I still need all the help I can get with protecting my harbor… Admiral…" she smirked. She really did still want to ask him for advice regarding her fears of the war, and to continue their talks of adventures at sea… And now that she felt she could maybe trust his motives… Her heart played with her mind and she toyed with some possibilities of perhaps even asking him, to stay? She quickly buried that silly notion away.

"I'd be more than happy to do whatever I can to assist my precious queen… But, maybe I could get a blanket first?" he laughed weakly. Elsa gasped and quickly began to help the poor freezing man to his feet.

"Let's get you to a fireplace." she smiled, holding one arm tightly around his waist, the other around his shoulders to help support his weight.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

It was impossible to find any privacy once word got out of the king's house arrest, and the interrogation of the admiral. But Elsa did her best to calm everyone down with an impromptu meeting with everyone concerned. All that really mattered was that the queen was doing everything she could to protect Arendelle, at any cost. Though many couldn't help but question her judgment… Once she announced that would be keeping Admiral Westergard as a consultant for her new fleet. She insisted that after a, thorough, investigation of the prince… That he was trustworthy, and that he was still a vital asset for protecting the fjord from the growing threat brewing in the waters to the south. Despite the protests and questionable mumbles from the old men, she remained firm. After all, she was the one who singled-handedly put the infamous red beast in his place. No man in that room had the authority, or the bravery to question her again. Hans stood to the right of the queen's chair, in his finest uniform, complete with his large and still silly Admiral hat… But he had a hard time being embarrassed, when he could hardly contain the pride he felt standing beside her. He could only close his eyes and stay rigid, hoping his body language wouldn't betray him. After excusing herself from the dramatic argument, rolling her eyes and needing an escape for some solitude, Hans looked to see if had a clear exit and followed behind her as quietly as he could.

"Elsa!" Anna leapt out from behind a velvet curtain, waving her hands in the air. The queen sighed and rubbed her gloved fingertips to her forehead, holding back a small headache.

"…Anna, if you want to sit at the meetings, all you have to do is ask." Anna laughed nervously and rubbed her elbow, looking down at the floor.

"I guess I just got really used to eavesdropping."

"I've noticed. Anna, what it is? I know I missed your first fitting, I'm really sorry, I've just been so overwhelmed and…"

"It's not, just about that Elsa." Anna sighed, noticing Hans trying to slip out of sight. Her eyes couldn't help but glare over her sister's shoulder, forcing the queen to turn around. As the prince and the queen's eyes met, their flushed cheeks betrayed them and forced awkward laughter to fill the air. Anna crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, um… Your majesties." Hans bowed onto one knee. "A good morning to you both." Elsa's smile shone brighter than the gleaming sun.

"Good morning, Admiral, I'd like to thank you… Again, for your assistance." Hans smiled up at his queen, and slowly returned to his feet, his eyes becoming lost within hers.

"It is the least I could do, your, generosity, kindness, and… Compassion pales in comparison to the strength of the king… If there's anything I can continue to provide you in return for your forgiveness, please, don't hesitate to ask…" He hesitated to reach out for her hand, it pained him greatly to hold it all in. Elsa was used to concealing her emotions, but even she had a hard time hiding the warm glow that was emitting from her happiness.

"Admiral… Oh, well, actually…" Elsa gently bit her lower lip, trying not to smile and wrinkle her small nose. "I could use your help with… Something, later... I just completely forgot what it was!" she laughed with embarrassment; holding her hand up to hide her face. Hans held in his laughter but failed to contain his smirk, making the queen blush even harder.

"Well, I am available if you remember..." Hans's eyes lit up with hope, the magic he felt between them growing stronger.

"You have a meeting with ME and then a riding lesson with Kristoff." Coughed Anna, now tapping her foot impatiently. Elsa and Hans cleared their throats and looked away from each other, Elsa now holding her hands firmly behind her back.

"R-right, of course." Smiled Elsa, looking back at her annoyed sister…

"I apologize for intruding on any time planned for your family, your majesty, but…" his urgency made both sisters curious. "But if there is any way for us to speak sometime this evening, even just for a moment…"

"I'll see what I can do." Anna gasped loudly in disappointment.

"I'll be waiting for your message your majesty. Princess Anna, I…"

"Save it, you've said enough, you're excused." Elsa's jaw lowered in shock as Hans blinked, and sighed as he bowed once more.

"Well, then, excuse me." He quickly turned and made his exit down the hall. Elsa frowned and removed her glove, only to gently slap Anna on her shoulder in protest.

"That was rude!"

"And that…! Whatever THAT was! Was… Was someone breaking their promise to me!" Anna shouted. Elsa blushed and stammered, not sure what to say next…

"I… I did not. I'm only asking for help, I'm trying to do what's best for our kingdom!" Anna rolled her eyes.

"You know what Elsa? Don't worry about my wedding dress anymore. There, now you have the afternoon to do whatever's best for 'the kingdom'."

"Anna… Please…"

"No, really, don't worry about it. Come find me when you're ready to be at least honest with _yourself_." Anna's hands shook in anger as she quickly turned and walked away, beyond frustrated. Not just at the spectacle she just watched, but how it was just so obvious that her big sister was lying to pretty much the whole kingdom. And mostly to her… She couldn't figure out what bothered her more, and she felt guilty for maybe being a little selfish… But ugh, the gall to flirt with THAT man in front of her like that!? Her own sister's ex fiancé? Who almost killed them!? She threw her hands up in the air and groaned with disgust as she stomped down the staircase. Elsa stood alone in the sunlight, trying to catch her breath and completely lost at what to do, how to act, how to feel… Every path she chose in her mind she became lost and even more confused… She closed her eyes. She listened to her heart. She loved her sister more than life itself. It would destroy her if she broke her heart… But it was true; she didn't know how to build her own army, how to protect an entire kingdom by herself. Some days the stress was too much to bear… She wanted to prove to herself and the whole world that she really could do it on her own… But there was still the fact she was a human being. And there were feelings inside of her now that she couldn't possible conceal anymore if she tried. Even she could feel herself failing to take her own advice… Concealing the new magic the admiral was creating inside her was beginning to hurt… She needed to let it go. She had to let her love flow… Maybe if she just, admitted to herself, to him, once and for all the pain would stop and her heart would stop burning. Maybe things could actually… Work out…

Elsa walked over to the open window, feeling a small cold tear trail down her cheekbone. She rested her arm on the windowsill and listened to the early morning birds sing their songs… They were asking her to smile but she didn't have the strength to all of a sudden. She thought deeply at all the pain and sorrow she's felt over the past several years… There was immense happiness throughout the darkness of course, but, so many of those years she spent alone. In the truest form, she has been alone, to grow emotionally and magically by her own means. Anna did understand her better than anyone else, of course. She loved her like she loved no other. But there was still something missing deep inside that she didn't know was missing until… Until she saw him bending on his knees before her, crying and pathetic… The same pain and shame she felt years ago. She knew the loneliness he felt…

And as pathetic it was to admit to herself that in all her years of knowing love, and relationships… The few moments she spent with the man that literally almost stole her heart, stole her life, were the happiest moments she had known as a woman. More tears followed as the bird's song almost made her ache… How sad it made her feel to acknowledge the truth… The seldom moments she felt him inside her… That incredible smile… How warm his arms were… Yet not long ago, he was cunning enough to manipulate them all. She feared deeply that he was manipulating her again. Still, she wept… He was becoming her one true weakness. The fire she saw in his hair and eyes, she was growing addicted to. Because even if it was a lie, she couldn't deny the happiness he gave her. It was the only happiness of its kind she'd known… With a deep sob and a sigh, Elsa wiped her tears from her violet eye shadow. She was intelligent enough to know there was only a 99% chance of her obtaining true happiness with this man. All the odds were against them, like a bobbing cork in the ocean. But there was that 1% the magic she grew up with refused to let her ignore. That slight glimmer of hope she knew she saw in his burning eyes… Elsa threw her head back and winced, fighting back the intense tears. It was worth fighting for, that unbearably slim chance of having that magic flourish within her was worth any fears, or war. She just had to see him again. Especially after sensing that urgency in his voice… She tried her best to compose herself, and ran back to her chambers immediately to change into something more… Spring appropriate. And she needed to write a note as fast as she could.

Kristoff whistled happily as he brushed Anna's horse with cheerful care, his fellow reindeer munching on a whole bucket of carrots reserved for himself in his very own stable. As the strong woodsman walked over to the pile of saddles and blankets, the creaking of one of the stall doors surprised him.

"You're early, Elsa." He dusted the hay off his shoulders and peeked around the wall, eyes widening with surprise. "Once again, I was NOT expecting to see you, at all." Hans waved weakly and hesitantly walked in, his horse neighing loudly at his arrival.

"…Sorry about that." He chuckled, tossing his hat onto a hook, and removed his heavy uniform jacket. "I was hoping to be able to take Sitron out for a ride since I had some free time this afternoon…" he hesitated. "Is, that alright?"

"Hey, it's your horse." Kristoff shrugged, throwing Hans a saddle blanket. "Just don't leave any extra work for me."

"No worries there." The prince smiled, undoing his tie and removing his confining vest, finally rolling up the sleeves of his blue shirt and unbuttoning the collar buttons. As he folded up his things and grabbed some more things to saddle his horse, there was another creak of a door opening.

"There you are your majesty." Kristoff smiled, Sven greeting the queen with a loud moo. Hans smirked widely, proud of himself to managing just the right timing. His devilish grin grew even wider as Elsa walked further in, wearing a pale yellow flowing gown, bearing her shoulders, and wearing her braid long against her bare back, small flowers and yellow ribbons woven into her hair. Kristoff simply raised his eyebrow with confusion, dropping his saddle and crossing his arms. "How do you expect to get on Anna's horse dressed like that?" he scoffed. "I can't teach you if you're side-saddle." Elsa blushed and was unable to look away from the prince…

"I um… Actually Kristoff, I was hoping Admiral Westergard could give me my lesson today… Instead." Both the men's mouths gaped. Elsa turned redder than Hans's hair. "I uh, I have important, naval, business, to go over with the admiral, and I had hoped to…" she coughed and twirled her fingers into the end of her braid. "Hoped to… kill two birds with one stone?" she laughed weakly. Kristoff was stunned. Unable to speak, he looked over to Sven for help, but the reindeer shrugged, more lost than he was. Hans straitened his back and bowed slightly.

"As you wish, your majesty." He smiled brightly. Kristoff walked over to the door slowly, scratching the back of his head.

"Well… I guess I should go find Anna then?"

"That would be best; your fiancé could use a little extra attention today." Elsa nervously laughed. Kristoff pretended to laugh and hastily walked backwards out the door, Sven quickly standing on his fours and following close behind.

"Um, let me know if you need anything!" he shouted, still not sure if leaving was a good idea… But then again…

"Elsa…" Hans interrupted her train of thought as she watched and waited for more distance to grow between them and Kristoff. "I got your urgent letter… Is it really the war that you wanted to talk to me about?" He stepped over to her immediately and ripped off his white gloves, throwing them over his shoulder and not caring where they fell. Reaching for her hands, he held her tiny fingers into his warm palms, and smiled like he never had as she sighed happily, looking right back into his confident emeralds.

"Yes, and, no…" she felt herself starting to drift off into a state of relaxation she hadn't felt in ages… A smile and rosy cheeks now overtaking her usual cold stare. He reached up with his long yet delicate fingers, and stroked the feathery softness of her chin, wanting to pull her in closer… But the neighing of impatient and jealous horses interrupted them, causing the queen and prince to snap out of their trance and laugh together. "Let's get going, shall we?" Hans held out his arm and led her majesty forward.

"As you wish." He beamed.

Elsa closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, loving the fresh and cool mountain air that cut through the unusual heat for this time of year. The pacing of Sitron was so relaxing; she let her head rest against Hans's chest, as he eased up his grip on the reins. Their pace slowed down, he was now free to let his right hand reach around the queen's shoulder, and hold her closer to him. Sitting on her side like this wasn't usually her favorite; in fact she always preferred to sit on a horse the correct way… And she was getting quite good at it too… But it was a nice break to be on someone's lap and let them do the work, for a change. As he led his horse under a tall, sweeping weeping willow, long branches lost their leaves to the gentle breeze that danced around them. Elsa could feel herself almost starting to drift into a peaceful sleep… Hans gripped her slightly tighter.

"My queen?" he asked, Elsa's eyes re-focusing and smiling back up at his warm face. "What was that you needed to see me so badly for, hm?" she sighed and looked back out at the sun filled forest that surrounded them. She almost wanted to tell him that she wished to see his smile… But she was too smart to let her weakness show…

"Well, I need advice." She smiled.

"Advice?"

"Yes. I need a lot more advice on building up my defenses, like you've said… And that's going to take a lot of work. I'm going to need plenty of advice during that time…"

"Ah, I see…" Hans looked over to a small brook, his horse's ears picking up and his nose leading them to the fresh water. With one hand he guided Sitron over so he could take a drink, and keeping his queen close to him, his hand stroked her shoulder with care. His mind began to fear where this conversation was leading.

"You did promise to help for as long as you could… And, I… I could still use your help." She blushed, looking down at her fingers, nervously playing with her braid once again. Hans brought them to a complete stop, and sighed, releasing the reins, and cradling his hands around Elsa's slim waist, helping her ease gently onto the soft grass. The longer he didn't speak, the more apprehensive she became… She held her left hand over her heart as she watched him climb down with ease, holding her breath.

"I did promise…" he let Sitron have freedom to leisurely play in the stream while he sat down in the small clearing under the trees. He smiled over his shoulder at the shy beauty behind him, and patted the ground beside him. Elsa hesitantly folded her dress behind her knees, and floated onto some wildflowers that sprouted next to his seat. They sighed together, and Elsa picked tiny flowers as she could barely manage to contain the pounding of her heartbeat. "I promised to protect you and your kingdom to the best of my ability…" he watched her nervously pluck at the spring blossoms around their feet. He didn't want to ruin any of this by telling her something even he didn't want to face… But shortly the ships scheduled to return south will be calling his name. In order to truly fulfill his promise, and to be certain no enemies were on their way, he had to leave… He had to. It was the best way to fulfill his promise. But he could feel her; feel her body anxiously leaning towards him, anxious to ask him something else, something he was terrified to address. All he wanted was to love her the best he could right there at that moment. Not think about the past, or tomorrow, but right now…

"You… You said… You loved me…" Elsa practically whimpered. Hans held in his breath. "If you truly loved me…"

"Elsa…" Hans interrupted, his hand grasping her cheek into his palm, his thumb caressing the softness of her bottom lip. He could barely stand the worry he saw growing in her blue eyes. "I meant it. I love you with all my heart…" he whispered, Elsa holding her hand against his, holding back her tears. "What can I do to prove it to you?" Did she dare ask him, straight out, right then and there? Was she foolish enough to expect him to want to be by her side? As she lost herself in his burning eyes again, she could feel herself losing control, the grass beneath them gently frosting over. Blinking a few times, Hans leaned in closer, gently brushing the tip of his nose against hers, his lips just barely tasting hers… She inhaled sharply and closed her eyes, pressing her cheek more into his hand and stroking her fingers through his soft red hair. Unable to hold back a second longer; Hans hungrily kissed his queen, tasting her perfectly cold mouth, his tongue eagerly dancing with hers. She gasped for air, her cheeks burning red, and pushed him away only to look into his eyes again…

"Hans… I… I…" she stammered, her hands reaching and grasping onto his muscular arms, trying to find the strength to fight her fears. He frowned and hurriedly threw his arms around her back, pulling her in close and diving in for another deep kiss, not allowing her to let her fears control her any longer. She whimpered gently as she longingly kissed back, loving his gentle lips and talented tongue… Feeling a strong heat beginning to grow within her, she wrapped her arms around his sculpted neck and pressed herself back against his embrace. Forget it, for now, she thought. She melted faster than the morning dew in his amazing arms, feeling his strength growing the more they kissed and shared sighs. He groaned louder the more eager he felt her becoming, relaxing more and allowing his hands to stroke lower than her back, and pressing her hips against his with an intense hunger. Growling like a wolf, his manners left him the moment her lips left his and began to kiss down his chin, and onto his neck. He let his hands guide her back onto the damp grass below them, and panted heavily as he loomed over the trembling queen. Elsa nibbled her lip and let her arms falls limp above her head, her whole body shimmering and glowing like fresh snow. Her flowing gown hugging each of her curves perfectly, the sheer material failing to complete shield her perky breasts… The longer he stared at her glorious body, and her stunningly breath-taking eyes and smile… The more he began to turn into an inferno, convinced he could no longer hold back his wanting for this perfectly powerful creature beneath him. How lucky he was to be able to touch and love such an amazing woman…

"Can I worship you, my queen?" he begged, leaning down and kissing her neck tenderly, unable to stop his fingers from stroking her hair. She gasped and closed her eyes, feeling his groin push down harder into her hip, her right thigh being pushed higher onto his waist.

"Oh, Admiral…" she cooed, tilting her head to the side, her finger grasping tightly into his red locks, his lips and tongue now tickling behind her delicate ear. She giggled and gasped louder, the world now spinning around her the more he tickled her over her limit. "Hans!" she laughed, making him smirk widely as his kissed and licked slowly down further her neck, to her collar bone, and further down still. "Wait…" Elsa pleaded, lifting her head and reaching her hand down his cheek. Not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable in any way, the prince sat up and helped his queen back to her knees.

"Everything alright?" he kissed her hands tenderly. She smiled, and pressed her hands back onto his cheeks, and pulled him back close to her face.

"More than alright… The grass was just… itching me…" Elsa blushed and laughed. Hans smirked and let his hands stroke up and down her exposed porcelain skin.

"Your comfort is my priority your majesty…" he kissed her neck again, impatient and wanting more.

"Hans, please, call me Elsa…" she moaned, closing her eyes and letting her head fall backward, the more he smothered her ears and neck with wet hungry kisses.

"I want you Elsa." The prince gasped into her ear, his busy fingertips playing with the ribbons that held her gown in place at the small of her back.

"I love you, Hans…" she almost wept. The prince had to stop for a moment to look her strait into her watering eyes. He thought he would burst into a firework.

"I love you too." He gasped, pressing his lips onto hers, his fingers ripping the ribbons apart. "I love my queen, I love this goddess, I love you Elsa, I love you…" he gasped over and over, their lips never parting, tears silently flowing from both their eyes. Elsa's hands flew from his hair to his back, grasping tightly at his thin shirt, pressing herself as hard as she possibly could against this chest. The fire that had been started was now too strong to be distinguished. There was no stopping this inferno… As Elsa eagerly wrapped her legs around his waist, Hans pressed his hands lower onto her backside, pushing back with equal force and holding her tightly into his lap. They roughly grinded against each other the longer they kissed, their desperate moans growing louder with each gasp for air. With the pressure growing to painful levels in his pants, Hans couldn't hold back his manners, and allowed his fingers to grips tightly to the edging of the queen's soft dress. Swiftly he pulled down her shoulders and arms, making her gasp loudly to her sudden exposure. Her hands left his backside and rushed to cover her cleavage, making the prince smirk. She was still so shy, and still so perfectly cute and modest about herself… He happily giggled and rubbed her arms gently out of the sleeves, exposing more of her waist and belly.

"You are the most beautiful woman these eyes have ever seen…" Hans stroked her arms as she held herself tightly, shivering not from the refreshing breeze, but from the look in his burning eyes. Each time she was with him, she felt new. He smiled and leaned it to kiss her chin, and cheek, his fingers stroking her soft lips and guiding her back to his tongue. Getting lost again in the sweetness of his taste… She relaxed again, allowing his warm fingers to pull her hands away, happy to shield her breasts from the air for her. He cupped them softly, and his fingers gripped them gently, caressing as slowly as he could. He groaned as he felt her pink nipples harden to his touch… Elsa too overcome by the lightning that shot down to her hips from her back, stammered and began to tremble to his touch. She whimpered loudly as his pulled his kisses away, only to start kissing his way down back her neck, and down to her chest.

"Oh… Admiral…" she panted, pushing him away just slightly… Both now wearing wide smiles. She pulled his hands away from her, and unwrapped her legs from his body, slowly standing before him on her feet. Wrapping her arms around herself for cover, her cheeks glowed bright pink as she allowed the rest of her flowing gown drift down her pale nude body… Only wearing her favorite white thigh high stockings with the delicate bows… she trembled only slightly… Stepping away from her dress, Hans grabbed the opportunity to lay out her gown for a make-shift blanket, and swiftly sprung to his feet to scoop her up into his arms. They giggled happily as he spun her in a circle like he did the first time… And kissed her deeply as he softly laid this precious gift onto the flowers that paled in comparison to her radiance. Elsa looked down and happily smiled as he continued where he left off, his delicate lips trailing downward to her soft breasts, her cheeks burning brightly as his fingertips played and teased her. She closed her eyes and fell back, a smile curling wide to her ears, giddy gasps and giggles filled the air. He loved how happy and warm she was becoming to his touch, he adored pleasing her, and making her coo… He expertly used one hand to tweak, turn, and pull at one of her breasts, while his mouth and tongue were busy at work happily loving the other. She lost herself to these new sensations, further than she allowed herself to fall before. Her cheeks ached from smiling. Her throat began to ache from her happy singing. One hand reached up into the flowers, ripping the poor little things apart, while her other hand gripped tightly at the back of his fiery head, causing some his head to grow white frost tips. As payback for earlier, Hans deliberately lingered at her bosom, ignoring the increasing inferno that was claiming both their insides. Steam poured from their mouths whenever she managed to pull him up by his ears for a much needed deep kiss. Elsa whimpered loudly as he continued to ignore what was building up in-between her legs. But it was his turn to have some fun.

Sitting up, he smirked and blushed as he unbuttoned his damp shirt painfully slow, Elsa panting and writhing underneath his straddling hips with impatience. Slowly he pulled the cloth down and away from his shoulders, throwing it off to the side and letting himself fall over her, his fingers gripping into the soft grass that kissed her hair. His eyes burned into hers as they watched her hands fondle his strong chest, admiring his form and strength, her fingers dancing down his soft freckled skin to the top of his bare hips… She couldn't help but notice how big he was already, practically starving for her touch. But, her hands hesitated for a moment…

"W-what if… Hans..." she nervously giggled. "We're right in the open…" he was slightly distracted by her beauty, his right hand caressing her cheek; his thumb smoothly stroked her bottom lip, wanting to kiss her forever. He chuckled and smirked like a desperate fox.

"No one's in the middle of the woods in the afternoon… Besides, anyone who sees a sight like this would consider themselves the luckiest being on this world…" he whispered into her ear, going back to gently nibbling and kissing behind her neck. More tiny static made her back arc sharply, forcing her to moan as softly as she could. His kisses traveled downward again, this time bypassing her luscious chest, hovering a bit at her navel, and then gently further still… Elsa closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, holding her hands over herself, trying her best to relax, mentally preparing herself for his smoldering kisses… He took his time gently nuzzling and kissing her hip, kissing deeply her inner thigh, taking much longer than usual to get to the point… Elsa impatiently looked down and whimpered, smirking and released her grasp on her breasts to rest on her elbows. "Patience…" he smirked back and whispered… Kissing her thigh again keeping his eyes locked on hers… After what seemed like an eternity, his lips, with feathery light accuracy, found their true destination, sending Elsa into waves of ecstasy. Her sharp gasps even startled the poor clueless horse several meters away.

"Hans!" she cried out, almost sitting up completely as her left hand urgently gripped into his hair, bending herself as widely as she could. His one hand reach around and gripped her knee tightly over his shoulder, the other hand now pressing gently and firmly downward on her opposite thigh. She was helpless, numb to anything else around her, and could only gasp and cry out in pure bliss. The fire engulfed all her senses, forcing her to fall onto her back once more, her weak hands returning to her chest. Her breasts still ached for attention too. Whatever he was doing to her, she was completely under his bewildering spell. Before she knew it, his panting echoed through the steaming air, and kisses returned to her neck. Her mind spinning endlessly, she had lost count or cared if she had reached any climaxes. For all she knew, her body was continuously under countless waves of ecstasy from his god-like touch. His skilled fingers now replacing his tongue, tears poured from her happy eyes the more relentless his touch became. He was impressed at how much she was able to withstand his attacks, she learned incredibly quickly over their past rendezvous. But this time in particular… She was different somehow. She couldn't stop glowing… In between her sweet cries of joys, she was actually smiling. Oh, he couldn't bear the pain growing for her love a moment longer…

He leaned up to allow his hands the room to release the immense pressure that had been painfully pressing into his hip, slowly untie the heavy black fabric. Elsa couldn't bear much longer either, her small hands doing their best to help him. She laid back down and allowed her hands to stroke up his hard sides, watching him finish his work, his strong hands pushing everything hiding himself from his queen down all the way to the tops of his bended knees. Not afraid or ashamed of what he had to offer. He knew by her expression alone, every time, that she approved of him, and then some… However this time, once again he noticed a slight change in her expression. She wasn't trembling. In fact, was she really smirking and licking the side of her mouth? He laughed and leaned downward once more, teasing her incredible wetness with gentle caresses, his arms bracing himself right above that perfect smile.

"Do you want me?" he asked, smiling and hungrily kissing her irresistible lips.

"More than words could say…" she pleaded, kissing back with urgency, her hand now clawing into his back, pressing her hips as high upwards as she could. "Please…" she cried, her fingers now grasping tightly into his hair, forcing his lips onto hers even harder. He groaned softly as he obliged his queen, taking one hand and cradling the small of her back, gripping into her perky rear, and lifted her higher and giving him a better angel. Forcing her thighs to widen, and wrap around his hips, he thrusted downward, easily pushing through her gateway and stealing their breaths out from their lungs.

"Oh… Elsa…" Hans kept his eyes closed tightly, not expecting her to clench so tightly onto him upon entry. He gasped sharply as she wantonly wiggled her hips in rhythm, her chin pointing upward, a smile stretching from ear to ear.

"Don't stop…" she begged.

"It doesn't hurt?" he asked, shocked and hesitantly returned to his work… She continued to sing happily and bite her lip, arching her back over and over.

"Never…" she gasped. "I just don't want… to hurt you…" she smirked, thrusting herself upward violently, forcing the prince to wince in pain from the burning sensation she gave him. He kept forgetting how different she was… How cold she felt on the inside, and how it made him shiver from a incredible burn he will never grow tired of… He cried out and pushed back, not allowing her to have complete authority. They both smiled widely like Cheshire cats as they began to push back at one another, almost like a game, laughed and groaning loud enough to scare away the birds. Without warning, Hans pulled out, forcing a small scream from the queen's usually quiet mouth. The pressure alone was enough to make her body flood with white heat, a tsunami of joy washing over her entirely… He swiftly removed the rest of his confining clothing and boots, and his hands refused to let the poor woman catch her breath for a second. Swiftly his hands grabbed her hips, and flipped her onto her right side. He leaned up, always making sure she could see his warm smile, his burning emerald eyes promising her no harm… She smiled and grew limp as his expert hands reached down, and lifted her left leg high upward, holding her kneed over his shoulder, and giving himself an excellent view from behind… As he immediately thrusted his huge growth deeply into their fire, Elsa cried out in pain, not realizing just how deep he possibly could fit… Her whole body shuddered in shock, her moans turning into whimpers… Hans stopped what he was doing at once and laid down behind her, cradling his arms around her side and squeezing his hand into hers over her heart…

"Shh… I got you…" he kissed her ear. She smiled from his soothing touch, and nuzzled him back, trying her best to lift her leg bag into the air.

"I said… Don't stop…" Elsa smirked, still in obvious pain, but she longed for him still, and reached down between them to help ease him back in. He laughed softly and moaned as his lengthy spirit had no trouble reaching from behind… His left hand now helping her keep her leg in just the right place…

"You're incredible!" Hans cried, kissing her neck and gasping, thrusting harder than he's ever done before in his lonely existence. "I… I want to be in you forever…" he cried softly, pounding deeply with ease, Elsa continuously singing with joy, their hands working in unison to make sure her beautiful breasts we not ignored either. It was the perfect possible moment both of them could have hoped for.

"I want you forever." She cried back, now finding herself being flung onto her belly, Hans gripping onto her small hips tightly, and pulling her slightly onto an arc. He pressed her knees down to keep her in a laying position, and straddled from behind… Elsa looked over her shoulder as he towered over her, blocking the warm sun from her eyes. She loved how his hair seemed to burn as brightly as the summer star… She blushed and beamed brightly as his hands gently stroked her back, and her lovely braid off her shoulders… And then his fingers reaching down to her rear… Readying her for his third entrance.

"Ready?" he smiled, waiting for her approval. She smiled and nodded yes slowly, and closed her eyes. Swiftly he pushed back, right back to where they left off, and with a deep breath began a rythym he knew for certain that would send his queen of perfection over the moon. Sure enough, at just the right angle, she felt a new fire that made her entire body shake with pure pleasure. She cried out his name over and over again, her fingers gripping tightly into the grass, Hans throwing his hands over his head as he arched deeply, groaning and spitting out obscenities. Never feeling anything like this before, even beyond his wildest dreams. He couldn't hold it back… Without a word he grit his teeth and gripped her rear even tighter, beginning a climb up to paradise, he couldn't stop even if he wanted to. He was having an out of body experience. Elsa could only hang her mouth open in silence as she lacked anymore voice to express her happiness… When she wasn't panting, she was gasping with a smile. Over and over he felt her squeeze around him, and harder and harder he let the walls around him release everything he had. He threw back his head and screamed without a noise, beads of sweat pouring down his backside. But she was still riding against him, mustering up all his stamina; he continued his rhythm just to make her sing one last time… He wanted to make this moment last for eternity. He couldn't stand to face the reality of what was to happen next… As he felt her body finally relax, and her tight grasp around him release slightly… He finally noticed the pink flurry that had sprouted about the during their love making. It made them giggle once that had enough air returned to their lungs in order to make a sound… He collapsed onto the soft, oddly warm snow that had accumulated on the flowers around them.

"Oh, I'm… Sorry…" laughed the queen, moaning with glee and giggled as her prince slowly pulled himself out of her, rolling back to her side, and slowly sitting back up in the grass and grabbing her gown to partially cover herself like a make-shift blanket.

"No apologies my queen…" Hans sighed with intense relief, eyes closed, resting his exhausted head onto his arms. "Where is my Elsa?" he laughed. She giggled silently and pretending to not be giddy as she curled up beside him in the snow, resting her head on his still burning chest. Covering him gently with a bit of frost to sooth his hot skin, the prince sighed once more, and yawned sleepily.

"We… Can't nap out here…" she sleepily laughed.

"I… I know, I just need… A moment." He smiled, stroking his hand lovingly up and down her bare back, cuddling her closely.

"…Hans?" Elsa hesitated to ask, but, she had to, it was bothering her too much and right now was the perfect moment… the silence was deafening.

"…Hmm?"

"…Will… Will you stay-"

"Elsa, I have to tell you something else." Hans interrupted, annoyed to be forced to ruin this perfection. She didn't like the tone of his voice.

"…What is it…?" She leaned up, hugging her dress tightly to her exposed, trembling body, terrified of his words for some reason. He paused and sat back up as well, his hand warmly stroking her bare shoulder… His sad eyes burning into hers…

"Elsa… "he sighed. "I have to…"

"ELSA!" a scream echoed through the mountains. Both the queen and the prince turned whiter than the snowcaps as they clutched whatever clothing they could find to themselves, desperate to see where the scream came from. "How could you!?" the voice cried.

"…Anna!?" Elsa cried in horror as her little sister stormed around a few trees, a very, very embarrassed Kristoff right behind her. "What on earth are you doing?!" Elsa shouted,

"What Am I doing!? I'm not the one breaking promises and being SELFISH in other's people's secret make out spots!" Anna stomped her foot, so angry all she could see was red. "How could you! And with HIM of all people!" Anna sobbed. Hans, red with absolutely humiliation, clutched whatever he could find to cover himself, and with his free hand, gripping onto Elsa's shaking bare shoulder tightly. Not sure what on earth to say in order to help… Elsa's tears began to pour from her eyes like waterfalls.

"Anna! Anna please this isn't what you think-"

"You disgust me, both of you are monsters!" Anna cried out one last time, burying her hands in her face as she sobbed, running back to the path as fast as her feet could carry her. Kristoff was too mortified to do anything else but follow her immediately. Elsa looked back at Hans, trembling, and cried as she quickly pulled away and threw her dress back on as quickly as she could. He held up one hand, desperate to grab her and keep her close somehow, know no words could help heal at this moment.

"Admiral… I…" Elsa gasped, unable to speak anymore. She felt her heart break as she left him sitting there looking at her like that, not strong enough to defend their actions. Disappointment poured into his chest as she too ran off in the opposite direction, leaving the poor man alone, still naked, with a very confused horse. He rubbed his hands over his eyes and sighed deeply with heartache and the worst kind of shame… Why was every one of their encounters filled with such… Shame. She cried deeply and silently as she tried her best to catch up with Anna, to try and fix the damage she just caused. Regret was another feeling she'd rather not have to go through again… Perhaps love like theirs really was doomed from the start…


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

It had been raining nonstop since early that morning. The clouds consumed the sky, the mountains, and even the castle. It made the normally cheerful walk to the stables into more of a chore… Anna was in no mood to be with anyone else beside her Kristoff. She was beyond overwhelmed with the planning of the wedding, especially with most of it falling on her shoulders now. And not having her big sister's support again made her feel an old kind of loneliness she didn't miss after all this time. But… She remained firm… Elsa crossed a line she shouldn't have, and it was Anna's turn to ignore the knocks on her door, and to build up walls to protect herself. She sighed heavily as it started to drip heavy rain drops on the leaves of the trees above her, and slowly made their way onto her head. She hurried her pacing as the rain matched her footsteps, turning into a downpour the second her hand reached a stall door. Panting and slamming the door shut, Anna almost began to cry as she untied her shall from her shoulders and wrung it dry.

"Aw, here let me help you with that." Chucked Kristoff, immediately taking the soaked garment from her, and tossed it over his back. The bouncy reindeer behind him leapt and caught it on his antlers, and smirked with pride. The lack of Anna's smile made them worry. "What's wrong?" he reached over and rubbed her cold wet shoulders, and she tried her best to not let her lips tremble. She failed horribly and tears began to well up in her eyes.

"How about, oh I don't know, everything?" Anna held back a sob. He wrapped his strong arms around his future bride, and couldn't help but smile just a little bit at how adorable her anger was. Hugging her close, he kissed her cheek.

"It can't be all that bad… You're with me now, right?" Anna growled with frustration and buried her face into his chest, so happy to feel his warmth.

"Easy for you to say… Hiding away with your pals all day, having fun…" she slowly hugged him back.

"It's not always reindeer games with me, you know."

"…You did not just say that." Anna smirked and held back her laughter. She wanted to stay angry, there was no room for a smile.

"Yeah, I did. And I think…" He pulled her away gently, and softly kissed her, making that cute smile sneak its way back in whether she liked it or not. "I think you need to have more fun as well." They giggled.

"I guess you're right about that…" she whispered, smiling widely. He raised his eyebrows and growled deeply, smirking like a hungry wolf and swept her up his arms with ease.

"Kristoff!" Anna laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck as he kissed her again, this time with hunger. This was exactly what she needed. As he carried her to a mound of warm, dry, cozy hay, she couldn't help but notice that there a lot were horses missing, and they were more alone than usual.

"Hey, um, just curious but, where's my horse?" Anna tried to focus as he kissed up and down her slender neck, gently laying her on her back.

"Oh, no worries, they needed help loading some ships at the dock today, so I brought them some help. Why…?"

"Well, if they've been out all day… They're bound to have to come back at some point right? Especially with the rain…?" the blonde mountain man blinked and went into deep thought.

"Hmm… I can see where you're coming from." With a tremendous bang, the largest doors of the royal stables burst open. Turning bright red, the two leapt to their feet and tried their best to clean themselves off. "You just HAD to say something." Anna glared up at him and stomped forward, about ready to burst from the frustration. Her day was getting worse by the second, and as Kristoff looked on he turned pale. Her day was about to get even worse. "Anna, wait!" He reached out and tried his best to stop her.

"No, I'm done Kristoff, sorry but I'm going back to my room." She grunted, not looking forward and walking straight into the back of a naval officer. Falling backward and onto the floor, she gasped loudly. "Why don't you watch where you are going!" she yelled, reaching her limit. Kristoff flew to her side, and helped her back into her feet.

"My apologies… Princess Anna!" gasped the officer, but only, it wasn't an officer, it was the admiral, trying to ease a very unhappy Sitron into his stall. He quickly bowed and turned paler than Kristoff was. The princess's mouth hung open in shock and anger, unable to speak. She began to tremble and pointed her finger up to the ginger's nose.

"You're not sorry enough!" she yelled.

"Anna, it was an accident-" her _current_ fiance held her back by her shoulder.

"Him being here is no accident!" she cried, trying to pull away from his grasp. "I'm sick of you hurting my family! Let me go Kristoff, I want to punch him again!" Anna struggled to pull his massive bear paw away from her upper arm.

"Princess, that's why I'm leaving tomorrow." Hans sighed, not able to look either one of them in the eyes. "It's obvious by now that my presence is just doing more harm than good. Your kingdom would benefit from me more if I went back-"

"Save it." Anna interrupted. "I'm glad you're leaving because you never should have come back in the first place!" Hans stepped back and his eyes watered, forcing himself to stop being a coward and face her anger by looking her in her eyes. The eyes he almost destroyed with his disgusting choices… The actions of a man living in the shadows of a dark legacy. He wanted to break away for once and for all.

"You're absolutely right." He barely managed. "I had no right coming back in, especially now, that you're finally getting the happiness you both deserve." His words just made her even more angry.

"You took that happiness away when you took away my sister!" she cried. "You just… You just didn't have enough fun torturing me; you had to go after her too! You're stupid enough to try a round two just because your Dad was here to back you up!"

"It's not like that at all!" Hans shouted back, growing frustrated himself. "I didn't plan on any of this happening! I… I…" he hesitated to say the truth… He feared it would hurt her even more if he actually said, out loud, that he fell in love with her older sister. He didn't want to devastate her more than he already had.

"Yeah well, it DEFINITELY happened. I saw it myself, thank you very much." Anna crossed her arms and blushed brightly, unable to look at him anymore. Both Kristoff and the shamed admiral turned red and coughed with unease.

"I… I couldn't be more sorry. About everything possible." Hans held his hand behind his head and sighed, wanting to throw himself into the fjord.

"It'll never be enough. After what you did… And what you continue to do, constantly hurting me and my sister… I'm just so, so thankful you won't be around anymore. So thank you, for that at least." Kristoff finally released his grip, feeling her anger subside slowly.

"Just… Just do me one thing. Just tell Elsa…"

"I don't have to do anything for you!" Anna scoffed. Determined to get his message across, he clenched his fists tightly, and frowned.

"But you do have an obligation to your older sister! You love her and want her to be happy, right?!" Anna took in a deep breath and glared with intensity.

"Love her more than you love yourself!" Hans ignored her hatred; it was worth it for the queen.

"Whether you choose to accept it or not, me leaving her is going to cause her pain, and you have to promise me that you'll take care of her… And protect her." Anna rolled her eyes.

"You must think really high of yourself if you think we're going to miss-" Hans fell to his knees before her and grabbed her hands, making her gasp.

"Say what you want of me, I don't care; just promise me you'll be there for her. Please don't be mad at her anymore. It's my entire fault; you're absolutely right about me, causing nothing but pain. I am doing the best thing I could possibly do for the queen… Please promise me you'll do the same." Anna yanked her hands away and stepped closer to Kristoff, who tried his best to stay out of the conversation the best he could… All she could do was stare into his sad eyes and give no answer. She had no more words to say. Hans returned to his feet. "Please tell her I said goodbye…" he sighed loudly, turning away. "I looked everywhere I could to tell her myself, but…. Never mind. I'm sorry for coming into your lives. Rest well knowing you'll never have to see me again." He walked over to his horse to say his last goodbyes to his dear old, and only friend, leaving the two in silence. Once the sorry prince left, Anna finally allowed herself to breathe normally again and looked up at her future husband with confusion.

"I… I don't know what to do." her true love exhaled loudly and hugged his arms around her once more, wanting so much to help, but he knew this was something Elsa and Hans had to figure out on their own. This was beyond him, and even her...

"I think you should go talk to Elsa…" She winced and hugged him tight. She really didn't want to… But… Maybe she should at least, try…

It had been a grueling and difficult day, loading the last of the ships headed back home, in the pouring rain… And trying to escape to search the castle any chance he could, all while avoiding his father, the guards surrounding his father, and all the king's henchmen. He was beyond exhausted… He was almost looking forward to sleeping in his hammock again. Breathing in deeply through his nose, Hans rested his head back on the porcelain bathtub, the steaming hot water finally relaxing his mind. For just a moment, he tried his best to not worry. He knew he was doing the right thing. Not just for her, but for Anna and for himself. And the nagging feeling that he was missing something… Despite all his work, Elsa's home still felt open to attack, but he couldn't explain exactly why... The answers must be back at sea… Where everything made more sense.

His concentration was interrupted but the sound of shouting coming from outside the door… The voices growing louder. And louder. Almost recognizable, he opened his eyes and hesitated to sit up in the bath. There was a bang, and then another… And after a pause, an even louder bang forced him upright, his hands grasping the sides of the tub tightly.

"What… the… hell…?" With a blast of icy wind, the doors flew open, furious snow swirling into the room and darkened the windows. Unable to move from the shock, and the cold consuming his bath water, all he could do was tremble, vulnerable and exposed. His eyes widened as the powerful queen stepped forward through the cloud of frost, her cold stare pierced right through him and caused a sharp pain in his chest. As always, she was a sight to behold… Her radiance shone like a bright diamond, lighting up his soul with a fire that burned through his core. Her violet cape cascading around her with the breeze, her hair whipping in the wind wildly. He slunk back into the water, holding his arms around himself as his teeth began to chatter. "Your… Majesty, this is… A pleasant… Surprise!" he tried to laugh, but it was painful to breathe.

"You were going to leave me without saying goodbye…?" She stood over him, keeping one hand in the air, making sure the storm brewing inside her heart matched the ferocity of the winds surrounding them. His smile faded as the color left his lips; he lost his senses completely and felt numb as her glare fell into the saddest frown he's ever seen on her beautiful face. It killed him to know he was the source of her pain, even if he was in agony.

"I… I… Elsa, just, under-understand-"

"I understand completely." She sneered, clenching her fists tightly, tears forming in her eyes and flowing into snowflakes. "You got what you wanted. Now's your chance to make your exit. I hope you enjoyed your stay."

"It's not like that… at all!" He shouted, grabbing the sides of the tub again to try and climb out, but she was too fast. With a flick of her wrist the water froze into a giant ice cube, freezing him completely in the bath. He coughed and yelled out in pain, the ice feeling more like an inferno as it burned his pale and freckled skin without mercy.

"I should've never trusted you!" Elsa began to cry, the storm raging around them now settling, leaving mounds of snow all over the floor. She held her embarrassing tears behind her eyes, hating herself now more than ever.

"Elsa…" Hans gasped, his skin turning blue. "Elsa I… I didn't lie when I said… I said I loved you…"

"I don't believe you! If you meant it, you would stay!" she sobbed, turning away, not being able to watch him suffer and desperately needing shelter.

"I'm leaving… Because I love you, don't… Don't you see?" he gasped, reaching out his hand to her, hoping for any kind of relief, even a smile he would take.

"No, I don't... You promised to help, but right now, all you're doing is proving to me that I was wrong from the start." she sighed. She was a fool for thinking anything positive of any kind would come from this… union. She never wanted to trust a man, or her instincts again. Of course he would leave the moment things fell apart. It didn't make sense for them to continue with this game anyway, despite… how incredibly perfect he made her feel when she was close to him. How sweet he smelled, how wonderful he tasted… The way he smiled and the way he talked to his horse, waking up next to him with the sheets tangled all around them, all these things she needed to instantly let go forever. Like a feather to the wind. She felt used, played with, angry, and devastated to be wrong… She couldn't stand to be near him any longer. All the prince could do was sit and watch her leave him, crying into her hands as she ran through the broken doors.

"Don't go!" he cried out, but, she was already gone. He groaned in pain as he tried to wiggle out of his prison, but the more he moved the more pain he felt. "…A little help here, please!" he shouted. "Anyone!?" As he waited to hear a response from the cold quiet, he sighed loudly and let his head fall back, desperate to escape and to sooth this ache. There was nothing he could possibly do to change anyone's mind about him. Not his family's, not Anna's, and not Elsa's… His queen, the woman who showed him the tiniest bit of compassion when it seemed like the entire world had turned its back on him. No hope of redemption. But even if it was only for a moment, even if it was cursed to failure… He couldn't help but try to embrace the fact that he felt her touch in the first place. The memories of her kiss would forever haunt him in the best of ways… And it was a miracle to even be able to dream again at all. To be able to feel love, despite the sorrow. It motivated him in a way he never knew, and even at the risk of never seeing his queen again, protecting her and her sister, was worth the price for her gentle touch on his scared cheek. He would fight an endless war and face eternal loneliness once more to prove how much this country changed him. To prove how much he truly loved her, he had to face the fact that he wouldn't be graced by her smile again.

As time passed, and the room drew darker from the nightfall, Hans eventually came to terms with having to wait for the ice to thaw before he was able to make his retreat… He was left alone in the darkness once again, with only his aching memories to keep him company.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

The morning sky was full of intense color from the rising sun, burning the low clouds with reds and oranges, almost as if the entire horizon was full of fire. Despite the early hour however, Arendelle was already bustling with activity. Many ships were preparing to leave the fjord, to return to the south, to return to the war and to abandon their promises of protection. Some things weren't worth the high price, and with strings attached to certain gifts given to the queen, it was in the best interests of the kingdom that the alliance was officially broken. So many voices argued otherwise, but, the queen's word was the last one. Many shouts of men and stressed out horses echoed over the water, and a large crowd had gathered to see off the men of the southern isles, villagers still enamored by the size and beauty of Admiral Westergard's fleet. As the sun rose higher and the blue returned to the clouds, it was getting closer to departure time. The admiral kept a close watch on his men as they toiled, keeping his mind busy and trying so hard not to remember the pain he was feeling in his frozen heart. He had to focus on his work, nothing else, just like he did every day before he came back to the cold north. Only his goals and his determination would be keeping him company from now on. He always knew that he would spend the rest of his days at sea, alone, but having that small hope for something different not too long ago, made his eyes turn dull once he was back to his duties. He wished he never came back…

"Surprised, boy?" the deep voice ruined his concentration. His father, the king, all decked out in his finest red velvet and gold, stared down at his youngest with dark eyes. Hans couldn't make eye contact; it would've made him vomit to do so.

"Surprised by what?" he spat out.

"To see me leaving with you? You must be used to retreating with your tail between your legs, but I'm not." The red devil laughed and sighed. "I'll be returning to the kingdom, and you better keep your orders to remain at the blockade and to stay there until I say so." Hans wanted to roll his eyes, but he knew his face would meet that man's fist if he did.

"Yes, I will keep my word, your majesty."

"GOOD." The king sneered, walking forward to the largest ship, the first one ready to depart. "Hopefully I won't be seeing you anytime soon, boy." Hans visibly shook with rage, it took all his self-control to take in a deep breath, and calm down. One day, he was going to get back at him. One day… He kept promising himself over and over.

"Admiral, please excuse me," a naval officer spoke to him from behind. Turning around, the young man bowed to him. "I know you're busy, but her majesty wishes to speak to you for a moment." The officer blushed.

"…Her majesty?" Hans couldn't believe his ears.

"Yes, Princess Anna is demanding for you and is getting impatient…"

"Princess Anna!?" he held a hand up to his forehead in shock. The officer blinked, unsure of what to say next… "Where is she?"

"S-she's at the castle…"

"I don't have time." The admiral sighed, fixing his large hat and turning back around. He wasn't in the mood to be yelled at anymore. This was the very last thing he needed.

"You will MAKE the time!" a high voice shouted, people gasping and making way for the princess. She was awake much earlier than she was used to, her eyes very baggy, but still full of passion. Her hair was braided, but it was done quickly so it was frizzy and still a bit of a mess. But she didn't care at all, this was far more important. Besides she could always nap after the fact. Hans turned red as he watched her stomp down the stairs of the dock and forced her way through the busy commotion making her way closer to him. He gulped in fear, not ready at all for anything she had in store for him. He feared her more at this moment than he did his own father.

"Good morning your majesty, Princess Anna." The admiral formally bowed, wanting to board his ship ASAP. Anna took a second to catch her breath.

"Prince Hans, I'd like a word with you…" she glared at the officer still standing next to them. "In private." The man got the hint and quickly returned to work. She cleared her throat. "…I spoke with Elsa last night." Hans felt the color of his complexion fade away, a large lump brewing inside his belly. But he was surprised at the lack of anger in her voice. "I've never… Never known her to love anyone before… Well, not like this anyway…" she blushed and looked down, rubbing her elbow. "She told me… almost everything going on between you two."

"Princess Anna…"

"Let me finish. …You know, I remember how you said that you wanted a place of your own, a throne… I mean, I know you wanted power, but… If you had just… married me, you could've had everything else you wanted anyway." Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Hans sighed sadly, forcing his eyes to stay on hers. "But I guess I wasn't good enough for you to fall in love with honestly."

"Oh Anna…" the prince felt his chest ripping apart slowly. "I… I was so wrong, you're a strong, sweet, beautiful young woman; never ever doubt that for a second… I don't deserve you, but Kristoff truly does. He's a much better man for you than I could've been."

"I don't doubt it…" Anna squeezed her hands together. "But… it does hurt knowing I wasn't the one who thawed your heart..." She winced at her words. "…Do you really love my sister?" Hans blushed brighter than she did, and he removed his large hat.

"…Anna I love your sister with all my strength. And power means nothing to me anymore. All I ever wanted was to redeem myself in both your eyes, and to offer my services towards protecting this kingdom."

"But I don't understand! If you love each other, then why can't you just be together? You're hurting Elsa more than you realize by leaving her like this!"

"Because in order for me to protect you, I have to do my job." Anna looked down… Confused.

"I guess you really weren't interested in the throne again…"

"No, but I might know someone who is, and I can't sit back with any suspicions when I know I can do something to find out."

"…What? What do you mean?" Anna quickly grew concerned. "Should we be worried?"

"Just do everything you can to protect yourselves. Don't let your guard down for anything. If I knew anything else I'd tell you, but all I have right now are my suspicions, and nothing can really be done once I learn the whole story."

"…Hans, you're scaring me…" Anna held her hands up to her chest and stepped back.

"Don't be afraid." He forced out a warm smile. "I vow to crush anyone who dares to get through my fleet."

"You have changed, she was right…" she weakly smiled back, still cautious.

"Please tell her I love her." He sighed, not wanting to remember her kiss but now that's all he could think about. "I didn't plan on any of this, but it happened, and regardless of my duties I know I'm going to continue loving her until the day I die…" he clenched his fists. Anna's eyes welled up slightly, shocked at his words, his honesty.

"Hans… You really do love her." She sighed sadly. "I don't know what to say but… I'm sorry." He reached over with his gloved hand, and held her chin up.

"Oh, Anna, if only there was a way for me to forgive myself… You don't have to apologize to me for anything." He pulled his hand away and bowed. "Now, please excuse me… But I need to get ready to depart."

"Goodbye Hans." Anna bowed back, and held back her tears. "I promise to give your message to Elsa…" He hesitated to pull away, but he had to. He stepped back slowly.

"Goodbye, princess. Be happy with Kristoff, he's a great guy. And take good care of my horse, Sitron loves apples more than carrots by the way..." Anna laughed a little bit.

"I'll be sure to remember that…" Hans smiled one last time, and waved as he walked backward, trying to avoid tripping over a bucket. She waved weakly back, and turned to make her way back to the castle. He watched her leave his sight completely before he dragged himself to his ship.

Elsa rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she exited her bed chamber, wearing her usual majestic coronation gown, her flowing braid hanging off her shoulder. Her sad feet dragged herself forward through the hallway, not wanting to attend this morning's counsel at all… But as she pushed away all the happy memories she had gained over the past month, she felt something under her slipper. She stopped, and looked down at her foot, and saw the long stemmed white rose that had been left for her at her doorstep. Tears immediately began to flow from her sapphires as she bent down to pick it up. Burying her nose into the crushed flower, she wept, wanting to smell the scent of the man who picked it for her once more. Unable to stand his horrible pain, she ran as fast as her small feet could carry her, keeping the flower close to her heart.

The admiral stood at the helm of his little boat, the sails full of energy and ready to go, unlike what he felt inside his chest. He could only look forward at the horizon, the ocean calling his name. He lived for the sound of the waves, the scent of the salty air, the song of the gulls singing of freedom from above. The further his ship pulled away from the docks, the more of a chasm he felt growing inside of him. He was going home, but why did he still ache so much. In order for him to make any kind of progress, he needed to forget the reasons holding him back. But the harder he tried to clear his mind, the harder it was for him to forget her… How could he ever forget her touch…? The commotion coming from land made it even harder for him to think. Curious at the sound, he looked over his shoulder at the crowd still gathered to watch the fleet leave. Something was going on… He focused his eyesight harder at the crowd… what on earth was causing all that noise?

People shouted in fear as a brown horse galloped full speed toward the dock. Only thing more surprising than watching the admiral's horse push through the crowd was seeing the queen sitting high on his saddle. Gripping the reins tightly in her hands, Elsa frowned and forced Sitron to gallop even harder, forcing anyone in her way to move. Screams for her to stop now rang through the air, but she couldn't hear them. She willfully ignored any and all reason. She had one goal and she was not to be deterred. As the horse's hooves pounded violently into the wood of the landing pier, the queen focused her sights on the waves of the fjord. Terrified that the ships had all already left, she forced Sitron to ride quickly to the end of the pier. Guards chasing her, screaming and begging for her stop, but still her determination blinded her. She raised her left hand to the water the closer to the edge they came, and with confidence, she continued to force poor Sitron to the edge. His eyes widened in fear as he realized she was forcing him forward towards the water, he neighed in protest and tried to stop, but with a strong gust of air, and flick of her wrist, he leapt completely off the platform and into the fjord.

Hans could only watch in terror as the queen forced his horse to leap towards the water. Expecting them to plunge, he gave the order to stop the ship immediately. But to everyone's surprise, they didn't tumble into the whitecaps. Instead, using her incredible magic, Elsa was forming a path on the water with thick ice. Sitron's hooves slipped and had trouble gripping, but the queen would not be fazed. She continued to form a path towards the admiral's ship, and not once did she ease up on the reigns. The frightened horse whinnied desperately the further out onto the fjord she rode him, the swell coming from the vessels making their path uneven. Closer and closer she rode to the prince, harder and harder she gripped the reigns.

"Admiral!" she cried out, Sitron leaping over a frozen wave and landing on the ice with a hard thud, cracking the path behind them. She gasped and looked over her shoulder as the water began to claim their way back to home. Hans ran as fast as he could to the railing to throw over the rope ladder, and ordered his men to ready a lifeboat.

"Elsa!" he cried back, unable to wait any longer and started his climb down the side of his boat. His arms worked as fast as they could to carry him down to the water's edge, happy that their slowed momentum reduced the size of the swell. He looked on as she inched closer and closer, scared out of his mind they would fall. Urgency made him climb even faster. With another strong blast of wind and ice, the queen finally managed to catch up to the admiral, his horse slipping desperately as she tried to slow him down. "You are crazy! When I asked that Sitron be taken good care of, this is not what I had in mind!" he shouted angrily, jumping down onto the frozen water below. He held up his arms to balance himself, and tried to gather his bearings. He wasn't used to having the ability to walk on the ocean.

"And you're a coward and a fool!" Elsa shouted back, finally getting his horse to stay steady long enough for her to leap down and run full speed towards the love of her life. "You're a fool if you thought you could leave me without saying goodbye!" she wept. He readied his arms for her embrace, almost falling backwards as she threw herself at him. She sobbed loudly in his uniform as he held her close, doing the best he could to hold back his own tears.

"My queen…" he sighed sadly, rocking her gently as she cried deeply, her body shaking all over.

"Please don't leave me." She begged. "Please don't go…" she wept.

"I have to. I have to do this." He reached down for her chin, and forced her to look up at him. He knew his heart must've truly thawed, because he could feel it breaking into a million pieces. "I love you so much… That I HAVE to go. It would be wrong of me if I threw away my promises to protect you. It would be selfish to put our needs before our kingdoms."

"It's not fair." The tears pouring from her blue eyes. "Why did I fall in love with you, why did you fall in love with me? Why does any of this have to happen?"

"I don't have all the answers, but please believe me when I say that I'm doing this because I love you so…" Elsa buried her face back into his chest and continued to weep, knowing he was right. They couldn't be together, no matter how strongly she felt… She couldn't leave her throne, especially now with the wedding and the war… And he couldn't stay… She feared betraying her kingdom, and she knew he was right… She shivered with fear of being alone again as he smoothed her cold, pale cheek into his warm hand, and eased her to look up at him again… "I love you, always…" he smiled, his emeralds sparkling. He leaned down and kissed her velvety soft lips one last time… She kissed back as tears continued to flow, tasting the sweetness of his mouth and wanting desperately to stop time.

"And I'll always love you…" she whimpered as their lips parted. They rubbed their noses together as he hesitantly pulled her away, his smile melting faster than her ice path.

"Come on now, you better get my horse back to safety…" Hans sighed deeply, reaching up and grabbing the rope ladder to return to his destiny.

"As long as you promise to return safe to me. That's an order, admiral, from your queen." She reached up for Sitron's bridle, and pulled herself back onto the saddle. Sitron watched his old friend climb higher and higher with sadness.

"I promise! I vow to my queen I will see her again!" he shouted from above. With a violent pull at the reigns, Sitron reared upward and neighed loudly, saying goodbye as the queen turned him around and forced him to gallop back towards shore, using her powers to re-freeze the sea. Snowflakes drifted from her heartbroken eyes as she ran back, unable to watch his ship pull further into the horizon and out of the fjord. Would he really keep his promise…? Only time could tell…


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Two weeks had passed, but it felt like an eternity… Despite keeping herself constantly distracted by her duties, brushing gossip and rumors off her shoulders like flies, and attending to her little sister's every beck and call, it was getting more difficult daily to fake a smile. The warmer the mountain air adjusted to the growing spring, the heavier Elsa's heart felt. Not even the bustling activity of the wedding preparations could keep her mind off the growing hole she felt deep inside her chest. In fact, the big event that was right around the corner filled her with dread, more so than the concern of the war. She felt so alone despite constantly being surrounded by faces and noise. And the harder she tried to not think about that smile, to quell any and all thoughts of his warmth, the more and more she ached. All she could manage while staring out the open window, keeping her eyes on the harbor, was to sigh heavily and quietly while the storm raged inside her head.

"…Your majesty?" a voice interrupted her silence, snapping her back into reality. "The princess is ready to see you now…" her handmaiden hesitated to disturb the queen, especially when she seemed quieter than she usually was. Elsa managed a weak smile to acknowledge her presence, but, nothing more, as she silently walked forward and down the sunlit hall. It was far too warm to keep any window closed now, and the stronger the breeze, the better. So she had been feeling uncomfortable enough without the swelling mass of people, decorating every nook and cranny of the castle for the ceremony. Each step was slow, and heavy. All she really wanted to do was keep her eyes out on the water… She could hardly bear this awful feeling that weighed her down. It wasn't just the longing for… His touch… As the queen walked past an old family portrait being decorated with roses, she couldn't help but linger and pay extra attention to her parent's faces… She was missing the comfort and guidance they gave her; she worried about how Anna would be feeling about them too… And… There was a deep lingering fear that wouldn't let go. How the last time someone promised they would return from their trip at sea... They couldn't keep it… She bit down on her lower lip to conceal all her fears as fast as she could. This was not the time to lose her strength. This was Anna's time, and she needed her now more than ever.

Keeping her eyes down at her feet as she moved, she did her best to not get distracted any longer. And, it wasn't all bad, she tried to tell herself. She was enjoying all the flowers, at least. She didn't mind their sweet smell; they made her remember the smile she wore whenever she found a white rose next to her morning coffee… Anna insisted on red roses for her wedding, but, she did notice a vase or two of white, picked out especially for the queen by her sister personally. Knowing Anna's heart always having room for her, made Elsa feel a little better. She wasn't completely alone. She never was.

"There you are!" Anna shouted from the top of the spiral staircase, spotting Elsa slowly making her way into the grand foyer. "Up here!" she waved eagerly. Elsa gasped and looked up, surprised to see her impatiently waiting above.

"What are you doing?! Do you want the whole kingdom to see your wedding down before the actual wedding?!" Elsa hissed. Anna laughed loudly and stepped into the bright light streaming in through the front window. The queen's disapproval quickly morphed into awe and shock… As her big sister's mouth hung open, Anna blushed brightly and gently gripped her fingers into the material of her stunning white gown.

"…Do, do you love it?" Anna giggled as she gently spun in a circle, showing off her bare back, and spinning her long lace train around her ankles.

"Anna…" Elsa held back happy tears and smiled genuinely for the first time in what felt like forever. "You look, so beautiful… You're all grown up." She wiped away a tear and made her way to the staircase. Anna's eyes began to well up once she saw Elsa smile. "Mother would be so proud… I mean, you're just captivating and stunning…" She climbed up quickly, Anna's arms wide open and ready for her embrace. They held each other tightly in the sun, sharing silent and happy tears, rocking gently side to side before they eventually took deep breaths and let go. Elsa held her sister's hands tightly, and looked closer at the details of her gown. "It's perfect. You're perfect." She sighed. "But you can't stay out here!" she laughed, pushing Anna forward gently. "We can't let anyone, especially Kristoff, see you."

"Ok!" Anna kept her grip tight on Elsa's hand and refused to let go as they walked together. She wasn't letting her out of her sight. "But you haven't seen it at all this whole time! This was my last fitting, and I had to make sure you loved it as much as I do."

"And I do, so let's make sure it's still a surprise in a few days…" the queen's voice began to trail off, as they passed another open window with a great view of the fjord. There was a small dingy floating in the water now, it was enough to distract her long enough for her to trip slightly on her own feet.

"…Elsa?" She blushed and tried to look as if nothing happened.

"…What?" they moved on, Elsa doing her best to pull her eyes away from the water... Anna sighed and gripped her hand even tighter.

"I know you've been trying your hardest to hide your feelings from me…" she hesitated, but unlike her sister, the harder she tried to bottle up something that was bothering her, the worst she felt. If she didn't say something now, when she had the chance, she would regret it so much later on when there wasn't any more time before the wedding… And Elsa's silence didn't help her feel any better. "I really wish you would talk to me."

"…Anna…" Elsa sighed longingly and squeezed her hand back. "I refuse to darken any part of your special time, this isn't about me, this is about you." She forced a loving smile.

"And what I want the most right now is for you to open up to me… Come on, we're talking whether you want to or not." Anna pulled her forward, rushing back to her chambers to get out of her precious gown and to find more privacy.

Elsa remained perfectly still and quiet as she sat in the dark corner of Anna's bedroom, not watching her sister attempt at pouring themselves some tea.

"We've talked plenty about the wedding, myself, Kritoff's nerves, but I haven't heard a single thing about what's going on with you." Anna folded her green cotton gown behind her knees as she sat down.

"What's there to talk about?" Elsa looked away, keeping her eyes on the window.

"You need to stop dodging this! Elsa… you're hurting my feelings more than you think you are by trying to keep it all to yourself." The queen finally made eye contact, and struggled to keep her lower lip from trembling. "You look exhausted all the time now, and it's just so obvious to me that you miss him… And how could you not with everything going on?" Anna leaned over and grabbed her sister's hand once more. "Wouldn't you feel better if you just got the pain off your chest and talked to me…?" Like a dam bursting from the seams, Elsa released her tears and immediately began to openly weep into her gloved palms. Anna was taken aback by her sudden outburst, and leapt out of her chair to hold her arms around Elsa's shoulders. "There there…" she whispered. Elsa was embarrassed, not to be crying, but to fail at this moment for not being the mother her sister needed. Instead, it was Anna being supportive, and as queen and head of their small family, she felt even weaker and more pathetic than she should. This made her cry even harder. She slumped down in her seat and held her hands tightly to her face.

"Oh, Anna, I'm so sorry…!" the queen sobbed. "This isn't right!" she tried her hardest to calm herself down.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Anna slowly rubbed up and down her shivering back. "Just get it all out."

"I just… I just…" Elsa tried to gasp for air and catch her breath, looking up into her little sister's warm smile and bright eyes. She admired her glowing optimism so much… "No matter what I do, or say, or think, I can't stop missing him. I dread falling asleep, because I can't stand dreaming of his touch and waking up knowing he's not there. I fear that all of his words meant truly nothing, that his words were empty and false. I fear that he got what he wanted from me and I won't see him ever again… There's a chasm growing in my chest and it's getting bigger each day… And I want nothing more than to just, forget everything that ever happened just be happy for you! And be happy for the wedding! But all I feel, when I'm surrounded constantly by the symbols of a love I'll never get to experience… Is the worst loneliness I've ever felt before." Elsa grabbed a napkin and dabbed her tear filled eyes. Anna hugged her gently from the side.

"It's ok to miss someone… And to be lonely, even when you think you shouldn't be." Anna pulled her chair close to hers and sat down, keeping one arm around her sister's shoulder the whole time. "And you don't have to forget the happiness they brought you… If they really made you happy, you have nothing to regret in any way." Elsa had a hard time accepting her words.

"…Even if that person… Is Prince Hans?" her eyes glistened with fear, but Anna's continuous smile filled her slightly with confidence.

"…Yes, even if it's Hans." Anna sighed.

"It still bothers you, doesn't it?" Elsa sniffed, wiping away another tear. Anna took in a deep breath.

"Well, of course it does. I mean… How could it not bother me, just a little bit? Not only is some guy stealing my sister away from me, but he also happens to be my ex, and someone who tried to hurt both of us… So give me a bit of a break; plus I caught you sleeping with him!" She laughed awkwardly. Elsa blushed and looked down at her hands, ashamed. "…Elsa?" she looked back up into her eyes. Anna blushed even brighter than her sister. "…What was he like anyway?"

"Anna!" Elsa gasped and laughed in shock.

"He must've been really something if you forgave him the way you did." Elsa laughed even louder and tried to not smirk.

"Anna… You have NO idea." Elsa sighed, smiling as she closed her eyes and thought about that fateful day... It had been a month since that moment… The very first time she kissed him… The very first time he made her really smile. How they rolled around in her bed for hours on end…

"You could maybe give me an idea! You didn't nearly tell me enough last time we talked. You told me how he's much quieter and reserved now a days, but you never told me any details." Anna giggled, growing more curious by the second.

"Well… I don't have much experience, but…" Elsa hesitated. "But… He is an amazing kisser… He's so warm, and sooo strong!" she turned bright red and held her hand over her growing smile. Anna was thrilled to see any color return to her sister's cheeks, to see her happy again. "And, maybe he's _really _good with his hands… And his lips." she sighed.

"Kristoff has the biggest and softest hands, they're perfect." Anna giggled. "He takes his time with me too… He's always been so gentle."

"That's really important. " Elsa giggled back. "It's also really important that he always puts your needs first, in any situation."

"That's what love is, after all." Anna smiled warmly. Elsa looked back down at her hands, and started to feel that pain in her chest again.

"Yes… Yes it is…"

"…Elsa, he really does love you…" Elsa's sorrow-filled blue eyes started to tear up once more. "He left, because he loves you, and he's going to come back."

"…How do you know that's for certain?"

"Because you yourself told me how vulnerable he was. If everything you told me is true, it must've been the hardest thing for him to have to go willingly. And I saw it in his eyes on my own. I would've have believed you if I hadn't of faced him myself."

"Oh… Anna it means the world to me that you've been so understanding…"

"Love doesn't just happen for any reason. Love can kinda… Pop in out of nowhere and surprise you when you least expect it, so I can't judge you for your heart."

"That's a very wise thing to say…" Elsa smiled.

"I've been learning from the best." She smiled back.

"You're more of a queen than you give yourself credit for, my dear sister." Elsa leaned in and hugged Anna tightly. They pressed their cheeks together tightly the tighter their embrace became.

"Oh, thank you… That means a lot to me…" Anna sighed. Elsa sat back, her mind swirling with thoughts of the prince even more than before. She hoped talking about her pain would make the memories fade back, but now she missed him more than ever… The longer she closed her eyes and allowed the warmth the memory of his smile brought her, the more her cheeks began to glow rosy. "…That's another thing, I'm not sure if you've noticed at all… Elsa, but… You're glowing."

"I'm sorry, I can't help myself, I blush so easily…" Elsa held her hands on her cheeks.

"No, that's not what I meant. You're actually glowing!" Anna pointed to the soft light emanating gently from the queen's soft pale skin. Elsa looked down at her chest, and then her hands, and gasped lightly as her fingertips grasped at her face at an attempt to hide her light.

"I, I can't believe it! I… I guess this wasn't all in my head! Whenever I think about him Anna, I swear I felt warm sensation overcome me that I never had control over… I didn't realize it was actually my magic!" she quickly ran through the moments she shared with that incredible man, and tried to put the pieces together… And it made sense; it would explain the instances whenever she lost control of her ice and snow powers during their most intimate of meetings…

"Elsa… You don't think loving Hans gave you new magic somehow, do you?"

"I… I suppose, it… It must be true!" she looked down at her hands in disbelief, and rose to her feet. She concentrated on the intense feeling she was receiving from her happiest of memories. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists, inhaling sharply and focused harder on every single second Hans made her truly smile. Made her truly feel loved… All those kisses, the way he held her hand, the roses he would pick for her in the morning, his strong and perfect arms, even the way he smelled and the way he said her name when they made love. The more and more she welcomed the pain of longing these images brought to her, the more she glowed. She shone brightly like a star, lighting up Anna's eyes and almost blinding her.

"Elsa…!" Anna gasped as rose from her seat. "You're… you're warm!" she couldn't believe it. Elsa raised her hands to the ceiling, and silently gasped as she raised her chin up and released all the magic she felt building up inside her heart. With a flash, the room was filled with glowing, pink and lavender flakes, warm to the touch and dancing in the air like tiny fairies. The two of them never felt anything like this before in their lives. It wasn't exactly snow, but each flake shone like a star and burned like embers. This magical snow was more akin to fireworks, beautiful and bright, but gentle and powerful. Elsa smiled as she opened her eyes, and wrapped her arms around herself, full of all the happiness he gave her. She embraced missing him. She hated the pain she had, knowing he wasn't there, but the fact that she could even fill her heart with such happiness to begin with, made up for all the sorrow she could possibly have. Despite not knowing what tomorrow brought, and knowing she would still be alone for the wedding, discovering this incredible new magic was a gift that promised to make her smile for the rest of her days. She would cherish those moments, and the new ones to yet to come, forever, knowing they are the fuel to her newly discovered powers. "This is incredible Elsa you have new magic!" Anna bounced happily and eagerly grabbed her sister's hands, forcing her to bounce along with her. "Love gave you new magic! There's no possible way you can feel sad now!" Anna rejoiced.

"This is incredible!" Elsa laughed, the two of them now dancing as she made more sparkling flakes fill the air with her fingertips. They giggled like children as they danced in circles, twirling their dresses around in the lovely frost.

"I love you Elsa! I'm so happy you're happy!" Anna beamed as she threw herself at the queen, Elsa almost crying again, but with happy tears, eagerly welcomed the emotional embrace.

"I love you too…" she beamed back, never wanting to hide her sadness from her again. She learned a very important lesson today. Never conceal her sadness from her sister, and always let her love show instead. "Thank you so much for helping me feel better Anna… Now I really can't wait for your wedding."

"I'm so glad. And I'm so excited! Nothing is going to get in the way now; I have a feeling the next week is going to go perfectly!"

"I have a good feeling too; everything is going to get in your way. I promise." The queen kissed the princess on her cheek. For once, she was feeling almost as optimistic as her little sister.

Later on in the evening, long after the castle had turned in for the night, and everyone was sound asleep… Elsa tossed and turned violently under her covers. Drenched in sweat, she panted and whimpered in her sleep as she dreamed of intense heat and the clashing of swords. There were men and women screaming, walls collapsing around them, and the sound of explosions rang through her ears. And amongst the chaos, beneath the feet of soldiers, there laid a man bleeding out from a gaping wound in the middle of his chest. His green eyes lifeless, his skin white as paper, his lips blue as the ocean. Blood dripped through his red bangs and covered the scar on his cheek. Towering over his proud kill, stood the red beast of a king, his devil like smirk sharper than his blood soaked sword. He raised it pointed it in her direction.

"You're next, your majesty."

"Hans!" Elsa shouted, sitting upright and throwing her blankets into the air. She cried in her hands, wiping the perspiration off her forehead. What a horrible, horrible nightmare…


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

The queen's frightened eyes couldn't leave her window, she panted deeply and did her best to try and control the frost that begun to grow under her feet. That was one of the most realistic nightmares she's ever had… And she couldn't stop shaking. She couldn't shake off the sounds and the blood… And his eyes… She gasped to herself as his lifeless stare pierced through her heart like a dagger, it hurt her so. She threw open her windows, to try to get a clearer view of the fjord, eager to see a sign of _anything _out on the horizon. There is was nothing, only the perfectly still night air, and the clouds blocking any moonlight from brightening up the shadows of her fear. She hesitated to return to her bed… Leaving the window open to let in a nice breeze, she began to silently pace back and forth, trying to convince herself that it was a dream and nothing else… After what seemed like an hour of mental torture, her sleepy eyes finally convinced herself that she could at least worry while lying in her cozy bed. Eventually, her thoughts drifted back into darkness.

Even though it had been a few hours since she fell back into sleep, it felt like she had just blinked her eyes. Was she still dreaming? …Bells? She heard the faint sound of… Wedding bells? No. She sat up quickly and rubbed the blurry sleep from her gaze. Those were the bells coming from… There was a terrible odor in the air. She leaped out of bed and flew to the window, the view from before now changed, a nightmare turned real… Smoke billowed from roofs, fire ragging through the harbor and into the town, already engulfing the castle gates. She could already feel the heat pouring in through her chamber doors, smoke filtering into the mountain air. Immediately her heart thought of Anna, forcing Elsa to lose all of her logic and immediately run towards the doors, swinging them open and unleashing deep heavy black smoke into her lungs. Coughing, she held her arms over her face and pushed forward, her sapphire eyes watering with tears. The pain didn't deter her from her mission; the queen was going to the princess come hell or high water. Desperately she waved her hands forward as she ran, billowing frost fill wind into the air to help guide her way through the choking darkness. The further she pushed into the darkness, the louder voices grew, eventually loud enough to hear clearly. The queen tried her hardest to clear out the smoke with her icy wind, but the thick heated smog was suffocating in the narrow halls, despite all the open windows. The downstairs of her home must be engulfed, she thought, as she noticed Gerda, her oldest and dearest servant, struggling to keep her footing. Running to her side, she swirled as much of poisoned air out of the closet window as she could.

"Are you hurt!? Are you ok!?" Gasped Elsa, wrapping her arms around her dear friend. She tried her hardest to smile as the queen helped her rest on the windowsill.

"I should be asking you the same thing, your majesty..."

"What on earth is happening?" The queen begged, struggling to remain calm.

"...I think.. We are being attacked... by enemy ships..." Gerda coughed. "Please, my queen, we must get you to safety!" Elsa frowned and threw Gerda's weak arm around her shoulder, and pressed onward in the direction of the main stairwell, hoping to find a guard.

"I will get you somewhere safe, and I must find my sister!" the queen shouted, using her free hand to continuously swirl wind around their path so they could breathe. Finally after what felt like an eternity, they found the stairwell, and several guards managing to free themselves from the battle outside. They were able to carry Gerda downstairs to safety, but Elsa insisted she go after Anna. Without waiting for help she ran back into the dark hallway, desperately calling out her little sister's name. Her chamber should've been very close by, but she was losing her way, the smoke becoming more difficult to keep at bay.

"ANNA!" she screamed out desperately,


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

The silence was deafening, each passing second without hearing her little sister's voice felt like an eternity. She pushed forward still, coughing harder as the black air filled her lungs, making her grow dizzy… Wincing and clenching her fists, she mustered all her strength and gasped loudly as she released as much of her frost into the wind as possible, clearing out the darkness from the hall. But not completely, as quickly as she cleared the air, the faster the heat and smoke billowed in. With her eyesight temporarily cleared however, she managed to find Anna's door and flew straight for it.

"Anna!" Elsa screamed, ripping her chamber door open, her eyes watering in horror once she finally found the princess passed out on the floor. "Nooo! Anna please no!" she cried, falling to the floor and desperately shaking her shoulders in an attempt to wake her sister. Anna moaned weakly, and her eyes fluttered open for a second. Elsa sighed with relief, and without hesitating, lifted Anna up as best she could around her shoulder. With her vision growing darker still, the queen did her best to drag both their weight back into the hallway. It didn't take much at all for the entire hall to become pitch black, the smoke becoming hotter and impossible to breathe. Each gasp poisoned her more and more. Thankfully the stairwell wasn't too far off, but each step became harder, each movement became more painful, and poor Anna, still moaning and drifting in and out, was feeling heavier… Where were all her guards? Where was everyone from only a few minutes before? The silence was beginning to make her nervous… Eventually her bare feet made it to the edge of the stairs, and blindly the queen tip toed her way downward, using all her strength to keep her sister on her shoulder. She gasped in pain, but she refused to let her go. The further she inched to the first floor; the sound of clashing metal pierced the choking hot air. Sweat now poured from Elsa's bangs, her hair falling into her eyes making it even harder still to see. Stopping half way, she could no longer keep going; she couldn't move another inch without the fear of falling… Taking in as much of a breath she could manage, she cried out and lifted her free hand above her head, trying her hardest to conjure a cold wind. As the frost fought back the fire growing from the east wing, her eyesight was briefly returned to her long enough for the sisters to finally reach the bottom of the winding staircase.

Elsa collapsed, Anna falling next to her, as she struggled to move forward toward what seemed like an open door to the outside. But she had found where her guards had gone to, and her mind spun wildly with fear once she saw who they were fighting. Screams of pain rang out as swords cut into the innocent guard's limbs, men with red coats yelling out in victory. She trembled all over, being eaten alive by her own fear, but Anna's weak groans pulled her back to her senses. Still trembling, the queen did her best to get back to her feet. There was no chance she would let things end like this, not now, not ever. Not without a fight. Struggling to keep Anna on her shoulder, the queen raised her left hand above her head, as high as she could. She winced in pain as her lungs burned from the heat, but the pain made her concentrate harder. With a loud gasp, Elsa released every inch of magic she felt from inside into the air, wanting desperately to put out all the flames of war with a single wave of her wrist. But the heat from the inferno was overwhelming, and stole the oxygen from anything near it. At best, the entrance hall had been cleared of the violence of the fire and the fighting. But the menacing glow from the burning castle refused to release its grip. Men were knocked to their feet and gave the queen enough time to find the doorway leading outside.

With the whole room around her now spinning, Elsa dragged their weight as fast as she could carry them to the source of fresh air. Before she could reach freedom however, a red solider ran towards her, sword raised high. He seemed to move in slow motion as the ice queen reacted quickly, frowning and pointing her hand in his direction. A bolt of hardened frost blasted into his chest and sent him flying back into the darkness. Gasping and keeping her eyes from rolling back, she pushed one step closer, and then another, and then another. The fire was relentless and continued to roar even louder as if it was protesting her survival. Another solider now charged her from behind, the sound of his heavy breath and footsteps giving him away. Elsa looked over her shoulder and turned to aim her magic at his sword, but… The blood coursing through her body turned into ice as she failed to produce a single snowflake. Only vapor escaped from her palm. The heat that raged around them was winning… And she was powerless to stop the blade aimed at her heart.

Suddenly the sharp edge of a thin blade pierced through the enemy's chest from behind, his eyes turning white and his arms falling to his side. The queen was paralyzed, eyes widened and her mouth hanging open, horrified by the sight. The dead solider slumped down the sword, and fell to the side releasing a flow of bright red fluid cascading to their feet. Her eyes pulling away from the nightmare, she became even more shocked by the sight of the man holding the bloodied weapon.

"HANS!" she sobbed, her weakened knees buckling and forcing her and Anna down to their knees. There Admiral Westerguard stood; his uniformed stained and burned from the violent battle, red hair covering his green eyes full of tears as he finally found his beautiful queen. He quickly sheathed his sword and flew to her side, throwing his arms around her shaking shoulders.

"Oh Elsa, my queen, I found you, I found you both..." the prince gasped, tears forming and running down his stained cheeks. He reached down and gently pulled the weak princess over his shoulder, and with his free arm, wrapped his hand around the queen's waist, helping her to her feet.

"How… How is this possible…?" Elsa weakly managed to breathe, her eyes unable to leave his face, doing her best to keep her arm wrapped tightly around his hip. Was this reality? Was she really dead and she was dreaming him?

"Let's get you to a safe place first!" Hans coughed, wanting to run for the exit, but did his best to not push the queen too hard. After what seemed like a lifetime, the three of them leapt through the broken front door and into the courtyard. But it was even more chaotic and full of more clashing soldiers, from the frying pan they leapt into the fire.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

The air outside the castle was free of soot and smoke, but the sounds of battle echoed through the mountains. The screams of the clashing swords made it difficult to concentrate. Hans quickly kneeled to the blood stained ground, carefully helping the queen to her feet, trying his best to make sure no one would catch them off guard. At the same time, he kept the princess secured over his shoulder and refused to even lighten his grip around her delicate waist. Elsa coughed hard and gasped at the cold air, slowly getting back her bearings and sense of direction. She held her hand over her forehead as her eyesight came back into focus, and her breathing returned to normal. Hans was doing his best to not panic, it was impossible to completely shield both of them from harm, especially with only one free hand. But he had no choice, and knew no fear. He frowned as he quickly unsheathed his weapon with a loud song ringing from the metal, and gripped onto Anna tightly, ready to defend them to the death if need be. His heart was no longer his own, and he was a new man. He would die for his queen, for her sister, for Arendelle.

"…Kristoff?" moaned Anna, coming in and out of consciousness. Elsa gasped loudly at the sight of a blonde mountain man riding a giant reindeer through the fighting horde, knocking over enemy soldiers left and right.

"It IS Kristoff!" she shouted, smiling widely, grabbing Hans's arm and pulling him towards his direction, pulling his eyes away from the danger. With a deep breath, Elsa ran as fast as her weak footing could take her, forcing the admiral to run after her, still fearing their vulnerability. But Sven was faster on his heavy hooves than he looked. Pounding the pavement, the reindeer lowered his horns to bulldoze more fighting soldiers, making quick work of the confused red coats. Sitting high and gripping the reins tightly, Kristoff never lost eye contact with Elsa once he spotted her. Nothing would stop him or Sven from getting to his princess. Coughing, the queen found it more difficult to run than she anticipated, and began to lose her footing.

"Queen Elsa wait!" begged Hans, unable to run without losing his grip on Anna. But as soon as she began to trip forward, Sven was there to leap forward, giving Elsa an antler to break her fall. They all collectively sighed with relief, but the moment couldn't last with so much violence erupting around them. Kristoff jumped down and rushed over to Hans and his precious cargo. Without a word he eagerly, yet as gently as he could, the prince handed Anna to her real love…

"Anna…" Kristoff sighed, wiping the black ash from her cold cheek. Her eyes gently blinked open, and she smiled, forcing Kristoff to beam brightly like the sun.

"Hey there handsome…" she coughed.

"You're going to be just fine!" he promised, as Hans helped them climb onto Sven's back once more.

"You MUST get the princess, and the queen to safety as quickly as possible! I'm staying here to try and save the castle!" Hans demanded.

"I know exactly where to-"

"No, I'm staying." Elsa interrupted Kristoff, frowning and gripping her fists tightly to subdue her anger.

"What? Are you mad!? No, I insist you leave your majesty!" the admiral wouldn't have it any other way.

"This is MY home! And I'm going to do everything I can to protect it! There's nothing you can do to stop me!" yelled the queen, glaring back at those fire filled emeralds. Sven and Kristoff's eyes darted back and forth between them, unsure of whom to listen to. Elsa raised her left hand and with a flick of her wrist, she summoned a frost wind, and formed a heavy ice shield onto Han's free arm. He stepped back and was stunned, not just by the beauty of the ice and his queen, but by her ability to still use her powers in the first place… She smirked in response, happy to surprise even herself. Happy that the cold air was enough to give her some of her strength back, she remained confident she could still be of service to her family's legacy. "Kristoff, I trust you'll take good care of my sister. Go!" she commanded. He smiled and nodded back, quickly turning his trusty steed around, and flying back over the burning bridge, towards the quiet forest.

"…Remind me to teach you how to handle a sword when this is over." Hans couldn't help but smile.

"Only if you remind yourself to look over your shoulder!" Elsa reached up and quickly shot a bolt of frost into the face of the enemy solider running at his back. This wasn't the time to be cute! They pressed their backs to each other tightly, making sure to watch everything around them. As she quickly tried to think of a plan to stop the fires, Hans fight back every single man that dared to come close to the queen. As skillful as he was with his sword and shield, and Elsa with her ability to trip their feet with her ice before they could reach them, they couldn't keep it up forever. She did her best to catch her breath, starting to feel dizzy again. Her arms began to ache and burn from fatigue. But she had to keep going… No matter what… The admiral's stamina kept him focused and firm, despite noticing they were all becoming overwhelmed from the amount of enemy soldiers making their way into the courtyard. "Hans…!" Coughed the queen, gripping the back of his uniform coat.

"Elsa!" he gasped, slightly startled, turning and holding out his arm for her to grasp tightly onto.

"I need you to give me some space! Buy me some time!" she pleaded. He hesitated, looking down at her shaking small frame, still in her nightgown, her hair and face still covered in soot… Not believing it was the same person that he tried to hurt so long ago… She was a completely new woman now. Completely exposed to a war she wasn't prepared for. But the will to fight and the light of hope still burned in her eyes, and he found the strength to believe she could move mountains.

"I'm at your command, your majesty." He smirked, and quickly returned to assisting a royal guard. Elsa tried her hardest to keep her eyes close and concentrate, keeping a calm mind and raising her hands high above her head. With a deep, painful gasp, a great snow filled wind began to dance around them, causing all fighting to pause. All the foreign men began to feel fear as the wind grew stronger. Gripping her fingers more tightly into her palms, and reaching up as far as her weak arms could hold, she held back her head and gasped again as she released what seemed like a blizzard into the air. Instead, the storm settled into two gigantic mounds of snow just inside the gate, cutting off any exit. Slowly they grew thick feet, and arms, and then… A head and big gaping eyes. Dumbfounded, the enemy soldiers could only stand there with their mouths hanging open. Two Marshmallows now stood strong, and frowned at all that opposed their mountain. With mighty roars, they unleashed their ice fangs and claws, and sent the enemy scattered with screams, followed by cheers from the guards. Elsa fell to her knees and her palms gripped the ground, not letting herself faint from her exhaustion.

Hans swiftly kicked a panicked solider in the rear as he retreated, laughing at both their cowardice and the irony. To have the abominable snowmen fight for him this time, was a great relief, he chuckled to himself, as he watched as one giant snow beast chased some scattered men back to their ships, while another ran up towards the castle, cleaning house of vermin and stomping out flames. He almost allowed himself to completely relax. Almost… As he looked back to check on the queen, his smile quickly faded. There was another beast approaching, one he feared more than any other, more than any memory. And he was looming over Elsa, completely drained, closer and closer, his giant golden blade held higher and higher.

"No!" the shamed price screamed, "ELSA!" he ran as fast as his feet could carry him. That was enough to make her look up, her eyes shrinking at the sight of the red bearded king. Without hesitation she jumped to the side, just barely missing the edge of his sword, the blade ripping into her gown and forcing her to fall to the ground with a thud. As the king sneered down at his prey, he was blind-sided by his son's fist, knocking him down to his knees. "Elsa, run! Please!" Hans gasped. But she didn't move, she could barely keep her eyes open, and barely lifted her arm in an attempt to pull herself back up.

"I've had it with you…" his father growled, standing back to his feet. "You just won't die, like a cockroach…"

"You really think that ambush was really going to work on me!?" shouted the admiral. "That blockade was your trap for years, wasn't it? You didn't set up a defense, you made a deal with your enemy to invade a country you KNEW you couldn't take on your own!"

"That's right…" the king laughed. "But I really gave her a chance, I really did. You and I both know she brought this on herself… I wanted to do it the easy way." He shrugged, and laughed even louder. "But I like doing things the fun way, and I never would've thought I would get both wishes granted in the same night."

"No, tonight I do the right thing, for once!" Hans threw down his shield, and with his free hand, gripped at all the metals that hung from his jacket. One by one, he ripped them apart, throwing them at his feet. "Tonight I fight for Arendelle, and I'm no longer your son!" With an angry roar, the king lunged with all his strength, both their swords meeting in the air with a loud scream. Hans fought harder than he ever had before in his life, as if every second of his training had led him to this moment. But the king was larger, stronger, and more experienced. He smirked harder the more he forced the forsaken prince back, making Hans lose his balance. The longer they fought, they harder Elsa tried to pick herself up, to at least raise her head high enough to see what was happening. She couldn't let this happen, she gasped, she couldn't let things end this way… She cried in pain from her ankle, but she didn't care, she had to make things right, once, and for all…


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Hans's eyes widened as fear's icy touch returned to his chest. He was getting flashbacks to his childhood, always too weak to stand up firmly for his own voice. Always overpowered, at every turn, just like now, how every move he made was blocked. No matter how hard he pressed himself, no matter how desperately, for once, he could overcome this obstacle… The king was just too strong. Taking a leap of faith, the prince tried to use his ability to out maneuver the red beast, and dance to the side with his sword protecting his side. But it was a risky gamble, he was able to get behind him, but he underestimated his ability to predict his steps. The golden blade burned like a touch of a bare hand to coals. It tore deeply into his shoulder as the king plunged his long sword under his arm, the deadly steel's long reach making easy work of his unarmored skin. Gasping for air and in mind-melting pain, the prince fell to his knees, dropping his weapon with a loud bang. Shaking and sweating from the blood loss, Hans held his gloved hand up to the gaping wound on his left shoulder. He couldn't help but laugh, out of shock, or out of sheer insanity.

"It is funny, isn't it?" His father chuckled. "How you somehow managed to survive that ambush… sneak all the way back here, to fail, to die next to your, so-called redemption? Was it really worth it, in the end? When you could've just died at sea… Like a real man?" he sneered. The prince's watering emerald eyes couldn't help but dart over to the ice queen… But quickly turned back to face his one true fear. Even with his dying breaths, he refused to betray her.

"…It was worth losing my ship, my home, my everything… Just to see her, one last time." The red beast frowned with disappointment, unsatisfied with his answer. His heavy boot lifted high and kicked him back in the chest, sending him flying backward and violently to his side. The beast stepped forward quickly, raising his blade high in the air, not hesitating a moment longer. He aimed for his head, and paused, to stare deeply into his youngest eyes.

"_If only I loved you._" He growled deeply. But as his sword fell, there was a sharp, cold gust of wind. He struggled and couldn't move, and began to cough up blood. The king had been too distracted to see Elsa standing behind him, struggling to stand, but left hand pointed at his back. Long thick icicles had sprouted from the ground, and impaled the beast through his chest, arms, and legs. The queen collapsed once more, crying out in pain, but still refusing to let go. She wasn't going to let him die… She crawled forward as hard as her weak arms could drag her. Crying with every move, she pushed passed the dying king, and to his son, lying in a pool of his own blood. She wept deeply as she finally reached his side, rolling him quickly onto his back.

"Hans…!" she pleaded, "Hans please, look at me…" her trembling cold palms desperately stroked his pale freckled cheeks… Smiling once his eyes fluttered back into reality. He smiled back, weakly, his hand reaching up to hold her chin.

"Thank you… My queen… For releasing me, from my prison…" he coughed. Tears gently trickled down from the queen and onto his jacket like snow drops…

"Shh, you don't have to say anything…"

"My heart will forever be bound to Arendelle," he smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling into hers… "My heart, is forever yours… My goddess…" he winked, and took in a deep breath. She couldn't stop her smile and her giggle; she couldn't help but love him so, so much… He started to close his eyes, and rest his head back on the ground…

"No… No Hans, you can't…" the queen began to weep. She looked over to his wound, blood still slowly streaming out from his back. She held her hand on top of his, and pressed harder, as hard as her strength could allow her. She refused to give up, she refused to let go, even as he stopped breathing. Her mind raced back to that fateful night, giving him that chance to walk through that door… and chance to come into her world, and where it led to. How he gave her the happiest days she thought she never could have. To be able to feel like a real woman, to feel truly loved, and most of all… Overcoming all those obstacles, just to see his smile. Just to feel his warmth, to hear his voice, to kiss those lips… And how they were so alike, often confused and lonely, misunderstood and strong… Vulnerable, but never truly weak… As the memories of smiling in his arms flashed before her eyes, Elsa wept above him, wrapping her fingers into his. She leaned down, and kissed his cold lips, and sighed… laying her head on his still chest and weeping harder, silently into her arms. Their memories comforted her so much, she still refused to let any of it go. Instead, she held onto them even tighter, closer to her heart. And the sad storm that had started to swirl above her head, now turned into a loving flurry… Warm and glowing snowflakes kissing their skin. As her hands and frost began to glow even brighter, the more she embraced the happiness their love brought to her heart. She glowed as bright as a star, and looked down at her hands, and back down to the prince. She pressed both her hands above his stab wound, and closed her eyes; focusing only on the joy she felt when she remembered the first time she looked into his eyes, and knew she loved him. The first time he reached for her hand… The first time their lips touched. Their dance… Both at the ball, and in the sheets… And the rose he would pick for her almost every morning… The light that shone brightly from her heart now filled the prince's chest, flooding out the hole in his shoulder, and stopping the heavy stream of blood. Slowly, his breath returned, and the queen finally let out a deep sigh of relief. Everything… might actually be ok… She thought to herself, as her body reached its breaking point. The world around her faded to black, despite her warm smile. Gently the queen fainted next to the fallen prince, her arm still wrapped around his neck. She was never going to let him go again…


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-one

There was a soft and gentle breeze flowing in from the window... It kissed the ice queen's pale cheeks with warmth, and caused her sleepy eyes to slowly flutter open. Everything was white... Her eyes had a hard time adjusting to the bright sunlight streaming in from the late spring afternoon. Her fingers gently tugged at the soft sheets, and she groaned once she felt the sharp pain of her ankle pulled her further into consciousness. Elsa slowly sat up in her bed, rubbing her heavy blue eyes, and yawing loudly. Was all that just a nightmare? The pain shooting up her leg begged to differ, but she didn't want to acknowledge the reality of the horrors that plagued her dreams. She couldn't remember a thing after trying to save Hans… After watching that beast of a man pierce his sword through his shoulder, her mind became blank. What happened to her home? What happened with the enemy soldiers? She started to panic, and threw the blankets off herself. Her pale blue nightgown was clean of any soot or blood… Her long pale hair was brushed and free of any ash. Maybe it really had been an awful nightmare… She tried to look out her open window, but it was hard to see from her bed. As she turned to put her tiny cold feet onto the bare floor, she winced and cried out from the pain. It must've been real… Or maybe she hurt herself in her sleep…? She struggled to stand, but she hobbled to the window, desperate for an answer…

Her heart became thick and heavy once she saw the damage her kingdom had suffered… The beautiful castle gates had been burned and knocked off their hinges… The bridge was partially missing from what seemed like an explosion from an enemy ship. The flags and banners that were left standing were now charred and ripped. She couldn't help but cry when the reality of what happened settled back in. It wasn't a dream like she had hoped… But her moment of pain was interrupted by the creaking of her chamber door.

"What are you doing out of bed?" gasped Anna, rushing over to her sister's side, grabbing onto her arm and insisting on holding her up. Elsa was still to groggy to protest. The queen smiled hesitantly…

"I thought I could use some air…" she winced, leaning her weight onto Anna's shoulder.

"You really need to lie back down; you're way too weak to be walking…" Anna tried to pull her back to her bed, but Elsa's heels wouldn't budge.

"Anna… I need to know what happened…" the queen's fingers gripped tightly into her sister's arms, she stared intensely into her eyes… "What happened with Hans?" Anna bit her lower lip, and hesitated.

"You have a sprained ankle, Elsa… And you've been asleep for two whole days… You seriously need to-" The queen gasped.

"Two days? …I've slept enough, I need to know what happened with our kingdom, I need to know what happened to Hans." She fought back tears, and let her sister go, summoning herself a walking stick out of ice. She pulled herself to the door as fast as she could.

"Elsa, wait! Don't hurt yourself!" Anna chased after her.

"Where is he Anna?" she turned and frowned as she stood in the middle of the hallway, out of the light of her room and into the shadows.

"…Everything is fine…" Anna held out her hands. "You just need to calm down, the castle can always be fixed and…"

"WHERE is he, Anna?" the queen looked to the right, down the hall, and saw several nurses and a guard standing by a closed door. She frowned and began to limp towards the group, knowing exactly where to go for an answer.

"No, Elsa, please…" Anna had little trouble catching up, but hesitated to stop her… She knew how she was when she had her mind set. "…He's still unconscious!" The queen paused.

"He's…. Alive?" she sighed with relief.

"Yes but… he hasn't woken up… And the doctors… Elsa, they're concerned…" Anna held her hands tightly to her heart. "…I'm sorry, I really am, I didn't want to tell you anything bad… But I'm scared… And I know he helped saved me, you BOTH saved me, saved us all really… Kristoff told me, told everyone… Exactly what happened…"

"And the king, what happened to the king?" Elsa's porcelain skin grew paler, afraid of what the answer was… She feared the worst.

"He's… He's gone; they've already taken him back as a prisoner of war. He was close to dying too… But they're keeping him alive as best as they can so he can stand trial." Elsa sighed once more. She was happy to not have a death on her hands. "They said he was lucky to live. I'd say we're all lucky."

"You're right…" the queen smiled weakly. "…Anna, I need to see him though, please, take me to him…?" she tried to conceal the pain that was overcoming her chest, burning far worse than her ankle. Anna sighed sadly, and grabbed her big sister's hand, and squeezed it tightly.

"Of course I will." Together they walked down the quiet hall, towards the silent nurses, and solemn guard. It felt like an eternity, but once they reached the door, the queen could no longer stand the wait and rushed forward, not waiting to be granted permission to enter. She could hardly contain her pain from the worry as she stormed into the room, cutting the silence sharply and forcing the staff out of her way. There the former Admiral of Westerguard lay, paler than the white sheets he was tucked into, heavy dark bags lined his closed eyes, and his once fiery red hair was now dull and soaked from sweat. Elsa threw down her makeshift staff of ice and stumbled quickly to his bedside, her eyes sparkling from her tears. The doctor changing the bloody bandages around Han's arm and chest stepped back and sighed silently to himself. He hesitated to speak as the queen's shaking fingers desperately grasped the prince's clammy right palm. Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"I… Had to try and repair the damage done to his shoulder… It was quite severe and a major artery needed to be sewn shut, it was a quick surgery… But he lost a lot of blood… He has yet to wake up from it..." Elsa tried her best to ignore him. He didn't know who he really was, how much true strength this man carried… He had no idea what he was capable of… She stared deeply at his pain as he slept, wincing occasionally and taking short breaths. The doctor attempted to speak again, but the queen gave him the cold shoulder as she limped over to the small table near his bed side, and wrung a piece of cloth in a cold water jug. Leaning over his chest, Elsa gently dabbed the damp linen on his forehead… She sighed sadly, wishing she had just been a few seconds sooner… Just a few more steps. Maybe if she had fought a little harder… All the staff slowly walked out of the room as she sat slowly onto the bed, her hand never leaving his pale face. The only one who remained aside from the queen was Anna, who stayed in the doorway, wringing her hands together nervously. Kristoff stomped quickly to the door, but she quickly hushed him, and relaxed his urgency. She wanted to give her space... With her free hand, Elsa clenched his fingers tightly, and tried her best to hold back her tears and keep her head high. It wasn't fair… But… At least she knew for certain she gave it everything she possibly had. She gave all her heart possibly had to offer, right down to her very core. Even if things had to go this way, after all they had been through… Was worth it, just to say they gave it their all, right down to the very end. Exhaling silently, the queen put the cold cloth down at his side, and held his hand within both of hers, and held tightly. A single tear rolled down her cheek after several silent minutes has passed.

"I'm sorry… I wasn't strong enough…" she leaned in and softly kissed his lips. "I love you… My Admiral…" she sighed, and sat back up, looking away and holding her hands back up to her eyes to wipe away the tears.

"…You're, stronger than you think… My queen." the prince smiled, keeping his eyes closed. Elsa gasped sharply and put her feet back on the ground, gasping at the piercing ache of her injured ankle. She was speechless as she bounced painfully in place. As she stammered and lost control of her sobbing, Hans slowly opened his eyes and weakly held out his hand in an attempt to reach out to her. "I love you too…" he whispered, and winked, the sparkle coming back to his emeralds, briefly.

"You… You!" Elsa kept flipping back and forth from extreme happiness and relief, to embarrassment and anger for being tricked like that. "…How, how long were you-"

"Elsa, please, just kiss me…" He tried to laugh, making the queen smile widely, and throwing her arms around his neck. He winced in pain but they laughed quietly, gently pressing their foreheads together, and then their noses… And closed their eyes once their lips met. Unable to use both arms, Hans weakly stroked his long, trembling fingertips against her back as she hugged him tighter, turning her head to the side so she could kiss him deeper. Anna wiped away a happy tear and laughed, being fooled by the prince as well… A cruel trick, but the irony cleared away the gloom that had settled, and their laughter made the sun even brighter. The princess backed out slowly to give them their privacy, and pushed Kristoff and some nurses as far away as she could. Listening for their footsteps to fade father away, Hans eagerly kissed harder, having longed and missed his goddess for such a long time… He missed how sweet she tasted; he missed her incredibly gentle touch, and the image of her fighting intensely by his side, with such strength and determination… He loved her like a true sailor loved the ocean. She was truly a part of him now… And she felt it flowing between their hearts as she kissed back, pressing herself more onto his chest, and laying fully on his side. She sighed deeply; ready to fall back asleep, but not ready to let him go after waiting all this time. And after so much fear… They would talk soon, yes… There was a big question the queen had for her prince… But for now all they could think and feel were each other. They kissed deeply for as long as their exhausted arms could hold, until Elsa gently fell back into her dreams, cuddling up tightly by his side. Hans wrapped his uninjured arm around the sleeping beauty, and let his tired head fall back into the pillows, in physical agony, but with a heart finally feeling full, he could sleep in complete peace.

"You sure you're ok?" Kristoff had to ask, wrapping his strong and supportive arm around her slender shoulders. Anna smiled optimistically up into his brown eyes.

"I'll be just fine…" her hesitation made her fiance raise an eyebrow. "I'm just thinking that…. I need to start acting more like a queen."

"Oh? Why's that?" They paused at the top of the winding staircase, and Anna pulled his arm off of her so she could hold his hand tightly.

"Call it my sisterly intuition…" she beamed, smiling widely, and blushing a tiny bit. Kristoff raised an eyebrow, he knew that look. She had an idea, which sometimes gave him reason to be concerned...


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-two

A week had passed since both Elsa and Hans awoke from their nightmares, and welcomed back reality. It was a slow healing process, not just for them, but for the whole kingdom as well. So many repairs had to be made to the castle, and so much of the village and the bridge needed to be rebuilt. There was a mountain of work to be done, but surprisingly, Elsa found herself mostly alone to rest in her room. But she was growing restless with each passing minute of doing nothing but stare out her window. For the first time, she found herself actually wanting to leave her room to enjoy the warm sun outside, and all of her visitors insisted she stay in bed. Of course she had her responsibilities, but her glowing heart and her warm smile distracted all her senses. Her deep, longing sighs were impossible to keep inside any longer. Biting her lower lip, she pulled herself off her lounge chair and balanced her sore step by leaning on a slim wooden crutch. It had grown so warm in the castle now during the day, that her usual ice staff began to break half-way down the hallway. Reluctantly she accepted, but she was stubborn to use it. All she wanted was to run back into his arms, but she had to settle for a slight hopping limp until her ankle completely recovered. At least she was in significant less pain… She hoped Hans would be feeling better as well… Her majesty absolutely required "counseling" with the admiral, and before the sun began to set behind the mountains.

"You know, I really didn't need the wheelchair…" the admiral laughed, smirking up at the beautiful queen, resting his chin in his hand as he struggled to find his next move in their game of chess. His left arm was in a tight sling to protect his shoulder, making movement a little painful, but he stubbornly hid his discomfort. He wouldn't dare stop one of the best games he's ever played before. She smiled and continued to pour her favorite tea into his empty cup, the sun draping them in blanket of light. Occasionally the breeze from the fjord would make the trees around the patio dance, and blow through her flowing white sun dress. The wind felt refreshing as it kissed Elsa's neck and played with her long braid, making a few bows of ribbon on her collar pull apart. Hans did his best to subdue his obvious blushing, as he pretended to not notice her delicate features hiding loosely behind the cotton… And he fidgeted in his boots while he moved his right hand to tap nervously on his knee. He wished there had been something less stifling than a cotton long sleeved shirt, and these awful pants, he could've been wearing instead… He cleared his throat and focused harder on the game. Elsa's smile grew into a smirk as she noticed his cheeks change to match his red hair. This was becoming her favorite place to relax; it was a perfectly quiet spot in the castle's small garden, and the best place for them to enjoy each other's company while getting some much needed fresh air. The privacy, of course, was also welcomed.

"You've been in bed for too long, so your legs are weak." She set down the porcelain teapot back on the table.

"Exactly, so how can I get any stronger if no one allows me to walk!" he laughed louder, reaching over to move his knight closer to Elsa's king.

"Well, maybe we can work out those legs…" the prince raised his eyebrow. "IF, you can beat me." She laughed. Her delicate bare fingers reached out for the marble white queen piece, and moved it to the left side of the board. Hans's green eyes pierced through the queens as stared deeply into her sparkling sapphires.

"And if you win?" his smirk curled devilishly as he didn't even look at the board, keeping his eyes focused on hers.

"If I win… Well, you'll just have to grant me any request." She shrugged and laughed.

"Any, request?"

"ANY. Request." The queen crossed her arms and sat up straight and firm.

"That seems fair…" he chuckled, and finally looked at the pieces. This was going to be easy, two moves and he would win, and she didn't notice his trap. "Deal, your majesty."

"Alright then, make your last move." She chimed happily. He gasped at her confidence and laughed loudly.

"You're adorable, you know that?"

"Please hurry up and lose." She continued to smile. He leaned closer to the table and made a fox-like grin.

"As you wish." he reached over and took out her king with a quick flick of his wrist.

"Ah, as you can see my queen, I still have-"

"Checkmate." Hans blinked as he watched her quickly move her last knight at his queen, she saw right through his plan the whole time. He sat back on the bench and held his right arm over his head in shock. He smiled happily and was speechless. "You really need to keep a better look over your shoulder." She laughed. He shook his head in slight embarrassment, but couldn't help but laugh with her at his overconfidence. He obviously still had much to learn.

"So… What is your request, your majesty?" his eyes never grew tired of getting lost into hers as they sighed silently in unison. Her smile faded, causing him slight concern. "…Elsa?" She sighed again, hesitating to say what she wanted to say. He reached his hand over the table and took her fingers slowly into his warm palm. She squeezed back and found her smile again, remembering there wasn't much to fear anymore…

"Hans... Would you, would you stay here, in Arendelle?" the queen stammered, her pale cheeks starting to glow. "Would you stay, with me? Would you… Be by my side?" she struggled. If he had the strength, he would've picked her up out of her seat and spun her around until they were dizzy. But he had to settle for leaning in and kissing her cheek lovingly, and squeezed her fingers into his.

"I don't think there's anything that would make me happier…" Elsa exhaled with relief and her eyes began to water as she leaned her forehead against his. "Besides… I lost all my titles and my ship… I'm a lost dog. I need a new home…" he kissed her lips softly, and pulled away only slightly so he could stare into those baby blues once more. "But… I still have so much shame from the past…" he sighed. "I… Want to ask you something as well, but I'm afraid my intentions right now would be misunderstood. And I don't want to have anymore regrets."

"Then… You're not…?" Elsa let a single tear escape. He reached over and quickly wiped it away and smiled again.

"No, no my sweet lady… I'll stay; I'll stay, but… We need time before... I don't know if everyone is ready for…" he winced as he didn't want to speak those words too soon. She was slowly beginning to understand his hesitation. Especially considering the weight of this proposal…

"It's ok…" she leaned in and kissed his lips, making his eyes close as they tasted each other gently. "Be my Admiral…" she whispered. "We'll work together, and make everything right…" another tear fell, but this time it was filled with happiness. He smiled and held her cheek in his palm and pulled her in for another deep kiss.

"Admiral Westergaurd of Arendelle, I like how that sounds." He sighed. They smiled and kissed once more, this time allowing his hand to caress her neck. She tilted her head to the side, and allowed their soft tongues to touch and dance gently, causing the prince to quietly groan. His fingertips combed through her hair and hungrily kissed harder, as Elsa breathed sharply through her nose and eagerly gripped his uninjured shoulder. She wanted to jump into his lap so badly…

"OH there you guys are!" a voice shouted over the trees, forcing the two to pull away quickly and turn bright red. Hans fixed his shirt and Elsa cleared her throat as Princess Anna pushed her way through the bushes, forgetting about the stone path, her arms filled with papers. Kristoff followed close behind, with a large package tied loosely with brown paper and string. He smiled happily at the sight of them finally out of their rooms. "Sorry for interrupting…" Anna laughed nervously. Elsa smiled widely at her little sister and shook her head.

"Not at all." She blushed. Hans coughed into his fist, and tried his best to conceal his sweating.

"Good afternoon, Princess." He bowed in his seat, and Anna gave him a genuine smile, something everyone enjoyed.

"I'll try to be quick. It's just that, I need your signature, it's kind of important." Anna plopped the heavy pile of parchment on the table with a slight bang, causing all the chess pieces to fall over.

"What is all this!?" Elsa gasped.

"Just some, orders… From the queen." Anna winked.

"Well…" Elsa blinked and stared at the paperwork. That explains why she hadn't heard anything from the counsel for all this time… "You certainly did your homework." Anna quickly sat beside her sister on the bench, and gently scooted closer to give herself more room. Kristoff walked over to Hans and handed him the package, and they shook hands awkwardly. "Elsa… I have some news." Anna smiled brightly.

"What is it…?" Anna reached over and held her hands within her own and held them tightly.

"Don't worry about anything, ok? I worked everything out." She could hardly contain her excitement as her cheeks burned from her wide grin. "Kristoff and I decided that… We should have the wedding with his family instead."

"What? Is that, really what you want?" Elsa said with slight disappointment.

"Yes, we thought it over and considering all the repairs…" Anna took in a deep breath. "I took care of a lot of the business regarding the damages, and went over the finances… The council agreed, and we all decided to have a small celebration for the soldiers instead. We'll have our wedding with the trolls, and once everything is back to normal, we have a coronation for Kristoff." Elsa's mouth hung open in shock. "All we need is your approval and signatures…"

"Anna… I don't know what to say!" The queen laughed.

"…You're not mad at me?"

"Mad at you, are you kidding? I am so impressed and proud of you…"

"Wait, trolls…?" Asked Hans, perplexed.

"Don't ask, you'll meet my folks eventually…" Kristoff chuckled and folded his arms together.

"Well, it just kinda dawned on me… Love is, putting the needs of others, before yours… And your happiness, our family's happiness, means the most to me right now. You all saved my life, saved the kingdom, it's the least I can do in return." They blushed brightly and fought back the tears as Elsa threw her arms around her sister's shoulders in a warm embrace.

"You'd make a wonderful queen someday Anna…" Elsa sighed and pulled away, smiling over at Hans and Kristoff, both remaining silent, but together they waited patiently and smiled back at their loves.

"That's… Another thing." Anna coughed, and pushed a sealed envelope across the table. "This is just a little something extra, since we had a little leftover from the budget. Look at it later, ok? It's a surprise." She winked.

"…Alright, but, sometimes your surprises scare me." Elsa laughed as she held the envelope in her hand. Anna leaned in and whispered into the queen's ear, holding her hand up to hide her lips, and smirked at the prince. Hans blinked in confusion.

_"We needed new ships anyway, this is just an official document authorizing it, let me know what you think by tonight." _Elsa smiled and nodded, not saying a word. Anna had planted the seed of an idea, and it was beginning to grow.

"Oh, and one more thing…" Interrupted Kristoff, pointing down to the package sitting on Hans's lap.

"Right, sorry." Hans laughed, sitting up straighter, and with his one hand, delicately placed the gift on the small table, on top of the paper mountain. "This is for you, Elsa… A get well gift from me, and Kristoff." The blonde mountain man blushed and looked away, rubbing his elbow. The queen reached over and with her tiny hands, untied the loose bow. The paper unraveled and revealed a large bouquet of white roses. The sisters both giggled together as Elsa grabbed one of the long stems, and held the flower up to her nose to smell its wonderful fragrance. "I insisted on white roses, since well… You know." Hans turned redder with each passing second. "And everyone I asked said they couldn't find any. Until I asked a friend who knows the gardens better than anyone else I know."

"Oh, thank you Hans… And my new brother." Elsa beamed with joy. "I don't think I want to see another red rose again." She laughed.

"Me too…" Anna agreed, taking one of the flowers off its stem, and placed it delicately into Elsa's braid. They giggled together as Elsa's pink cheeks almost glowed. "That reminds me, Hans…" Anna cleared her throat.

"…Yes? Princess Anna?" Hans swallowed nervously.

"As soon as you're feeling up to it, we would also like to include you in the ceremony thanking the soldiers for their service… That is, if-"

"I would be honored, your majesty." The prince held his hand over his heart and tried to not show a single tear. "…It would truly be an honor."

"Good, then, the council will keep in touch with your doctors and we'll make plans from there." The sisters both sat in happy silence as their eyes spoke for themselves. The feeling in the air was dreamlike, that such a positive outcome could come from so much destruction. Not just of the kingdom, but from what all their hearts had struggled through. The temperature of the air and their optimism were on the rise in Arendelle. And there was so much to look forward to.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-three

Time passed quickly as the days grew steadily longer and warmer, the summer solstice approaching fast. Elsa and Anna were kept very busy working together as the very last details of the wedding were put in order. Hans surprisingly found himself resting in the stable, bored and finding company with his horse, and a nervous Kristoff. Before any of them knew it, another whole week had passed, and just when Hans had enough of waiting to see more of his queen, more than just a wave and a quick cuddle… And enough of this so called, rest… The day had arrived for everything to officially change. The pressure forgot to build up during the course of his impatience until the morning of, once he realized the reality of the situation.

The forest was as silent as a church as Hans led Sitron by his bridle as he followed Kristoff's faithful reindeer, and best man, as he carried Anna to her husband. Elsa sat in Sitron's saddle and smiled brightly the closer they came to the vale of the trolls. Hans had prepared himself mentally for what he remembered from Kristoff's stories, and many warnings, about his family. But actually seeing them in person was another thing. There in the center of the large circle of moss covered gray trolls, stood Kristoff under the earthly altar. He was beat red under his straw crown, a moss covered cape covered his finest suit and made him sweat even more. The tiny, wide-eyed, rocks silently tried to contain their excitement and jumped up and down as quietly as they could at the sight of the bride and her sister. Anna was in her gown, glowing like a star, with a matching crown and cape made just like Kristoff's. She beamed and blushed once their eyes met and nothing else at that moment mattered. Sven stopped his proud strut through the trolls and kneeled gently down, allowing Hans to reach up and help the bride to her feet. They smiled at each other, and laughed slightly at the irony that still hung in the air. But, they both knew that this was just the way it was meant to be. And he was happy for her, more now than ever before, as he watched her quickly step forward and clasp the hands of her true love. Hans then turned to Elsa, who smiled into his eyes as he reached up and clasped his hands around her waist, helping her to her feet. The train of her delicate blue laced gown fell silently from the saddle as she stepped forward, and warmly wrapped her arm around the prince's. He tried with difficulty to keep himself from staring at Kristoff's interesting family, but having her around his arm immediately put him at ease. It had been so long, and to see her in a setting like this… He began to lose himself in his thoughts about her beauty as they stood to the side, Elsa standing beside her sister, and Hans standing to the side of Kristoff. The oldest of the trolls began to speak from his ancient book, but he couldn't listen. Instead, he found himself continuously staring at Elsa, standing in the soft light streaming in through the trees. The past lost all meaning as the ancient words of love, and upholding vows, were spoken. Elsa blushed once she felt the burning of his eyes on her, and she smiled back, losing herself as well. With this moment, not only was her family growing, but they became complete, free of anymore pain and grief. With this, the future was their gift and they now had the ability to make something even more amazing than they thought possible, together. And the irony of what brought them all together in the first place was forgotten with the wind. The past was gone, and all that mattered was what they wanted to be, in the present. As the ceremony came to a close, Anna threw her arms around her tall blonde mountain man, and kissed him deeply. Her husband smiled widely and embraced her within his arms and kissed back, the trolls erupting into cheers and throwing hundreds of flowers into the air. Elsa laughed and held her hands up towards the canopy of leaves, dancing while trying to catch as many petals as she could. Hans sighed to himself, thinking things he never thought before, surprised and laughed at himself for even thinking this was happening and wasn't a dream. There was a tug at his tail coat that snapped him out of his thoughts, and he turned to face the tiniest troll of the family. The troll blinked his big brown eyes and nervously rubbed his foot into the ground.

"Um, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, what is it little guy?" he bent down and smiled.

"…Is your head on fire?" Hans blinked for a second, and hesitated to groan out loud, and to not roll his eyes, and laughed awkwardly.

"No, it's his hair…" Laughed Kristoff, reaching over and warmly hugging the prince. "Thanks for the help." He smiled.

"Help? I didn't do anything."

"You did more than you think." Kristoff beamed and patted Hans's shoulder. He blushed nodded, understanding his message. He was right after all; his actions in the end brought them all together. Anna smiled excitedly and hugged her big sister with all her strength, holding back tears.

"I love you so much, Elsa…" she sniffed, squeezing her hands as she pulled away.

"And I love you, my sweet sister." The queen sighed, and kissed the princess's cheek. She knew their parents would be so proud and so happy for her… Anna then flew back to her Kristoff and squeezed his strong arm, pulling him away to cover him in more kisses. And Elsa returned to her admiral's side, eagerly putting her hand in his. Their bare fingers clenched tightly as the queen leaned up and kissed his scarred cheek. Suddenly the crowd started to dance and burst into cheers and song, and pulled the new happy family into a circle of celebration. They danced until the day turned into dusk, and the dusk became a blanket of stars. Tomorrow was the coronation, so there were still just a few more steps to take. Hans held the exhausted queen in his lap as they rode on Sitron back to the castle, a few feet behind Sven carrying the new couple. They continued to embrace each other and fill the air with their happy sighs, eager to return to Anna's chamber. He watched the happy couple as Elsa closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest… They both wanted to speak, but words failed them, and nothing really needed to be said. They could feel what they wanted without saying it. As Kristoff tickled and teased Anna to the point of loud giggle fits, Sven rolled his eyes and Elsa couldn't hide her laughter any longer. To spare themselves from further awkwardness, Hans smirked and pulled Sitron back, and turned around to find another path.

"…Hans, where are you going?" Elsa opened her eyes and sat up straight, trying to gather her bearings in the darkness. Sitron's pace began to pick up as Hans hurried his horse back through the thick woods.

"The back way… Figured we'd take our time, give them some space." Elsa giggled.

"Well, we have an early morning, we better get to bed soon…" Hans looked down into her sparkling sapphires and raised an eyebrow. "We have so much to catch up on, and I don't want to get lost when you have a big day to look forward to." She smiled widely; she was unbearably excited to finally show what she had in store for the admiral.

"That we certainly do… But when you're with me, I promise we'll never be lost again…" he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and warmly kissed her lips, pulling the breath out of her chest. With a quick flick of the lead, Sitron reared slightly and leapt into a full gallop. Elsa gasped and smiled as they flew, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck to keep herself from falling off. He kept one arm firm around her back, holding her closely to him, and the other controlling the reins. Hans didn't want to waste a single second of this moonlight… His tired bones and aching shoulder were filled again with renewed energy, and he was going to use it to properly worship a true goddess tonight.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

The moon was full, almost bursting with light as its glow pierced through the queen's chamber window. The curtains were still open; the fire had been long put out. It smoldered silently in protest as the couple in the bed opposing it were lighting a fire of their own. Hans roared only occasionally, his mouth was mostly busy with deep kisses, his hands gripping tightly into Elsa's long trembling fingers. Between their locked lips the queen would occasionally gasp for air as the prince pressed his hips even harder into hers, their bodies rocking in perfect unison. It had been too long since they had been this close… Too long and too much time had been wasted on fear and rest. But now the night was theirs, and everything that had built up over that span was finally released as their bodies joined and intertwined. Beads of sweat fell down the tip of his nose as he rocked faster, pushing Elsa's legs higher and tighter against his lower back. She thought she was going to burst, finally pulling her mouth away from his to let out a long cry. The man of fire was relentless, and wasn't going to be subdued. The pain in his shoulder was unbearable as he loomed above his queen, but it was worth it, for the pleasure she was giving him healed every single wound he had on and inside his body.

Elsa watched him wince more intensely as she stared up into his emeralds, growing more concerned with each second. Knowing he wouldn't give up easily, she wrapped her legs around his hips and smirked, quickly flipping him over onto his back, rolling him quickly on his left shoulder. He gasped, eyes wide from shock. He panted and held his aching right arm above his head and in the pillows as he watched with awe as the queen continued their dance from her perch, her hips gently rolling into him like waves. She closed her eyes and held her head back, her long flowing white locks trickling down her body, her arms wrapping around her chest. She groaned and smiled widely as she enjoyed his warmth in her own way, forcing him to lay back and enjoy her show. Allowing her to take complete control, he smiled back and let his head fall limp and onto the bed, panting deeply and groaning from that incredible aching down below. It took all his strength to hold himself back, but he wished for this for so long he didn't want to end it for anything, even his own pleasure.

Elsa slowed her pace and leaned back down, combing the hair out of her face as she kissed the freckles on his chest. She wanted this to last forever too. She wanted to love every inch of him. Growing tired she allowed herself to lay completely in his arms, his fingers gently tracing their way down her small back and to her rear, gripping softly as he thrusted upwards into her. He kissed her neck and cheek, smirking as she cried out with a happy grin, his fingers gripping tighter into her porcelain skin. Taking one hand he held her cheek and guided her crying lips back towards his, desperate to taste her mouth as he found it more difficult to hold back. Their cries muffled by their tongues, they hungrily kissed like there wasn't going to be a tomorrow. Harder and harder his hips pushed upwards, and the harder she pushed back, his growth hitting her wall over and over again. As much as it pained her, it forced her senses to go numb and all she could feel was the fire building up inside. She couldn't take it anymore. Elsa quickly leaned back up, her palms pressing tightly onto his chest, and arched her back for that perfect angle. Feeling that intense sensation of his heat hitting the right spot made her burst as if she was a star flying through the atmosphere.

"Hannss!" she bellowed, the explosion rocking her to the core. She shivered all over as she bounced eagerly, the waves of her climax sending bolts of electricity to her skin. That was all he needed. He closed his eyes and began to roar as he released himself, unable to hold back a second longer. His cheeks burning red as he yelled out to the night like a beast on the hunt. He growled and clawed at her rear, claiming his pray and wishing desperately time would stop. He lost his breath and gasped silently as she robbed him of his strength. Their hips gently slowing down, but still begging for more, Elsa stared down at his flushed grin as she struggled to remain on top of him. As their eyes locked, she felt weaker, and finally she reached her limit. Collapsing to her side, she gasped as he withdrew, his sheer size causing her to moan in ecstasy one last time. Her body was still reacting to him, even as he lay on his uninjured side and stroked her arm; she still felt the continuous tide of her orgasm. She panted, her eyes barely able to stay open, and giggled softly as he smiled back. His fingers gently stroked her cheek, his freckles shining from their sweat. They remained silent as they stared at each other, smiles slowly fading, their eyes sparkling more to match the sky. Hans sighed deeply and let his fingers trail through her beautiful pale hair, becoming lost in her and his thoughts. His mind ran endlessly through what they've overcome and everything leading up to this moment… Was it their struggle really over, what was to come next? Now that they were free from the restrictions that held them back before, where would the two of them go now? He thought about losing his ship in the war… Unable to work for the ocean any longer. What could he possibly offer her now… And how could he live here in Arendelle, if the people still didn't trust him. How could he know for sure if he was truly doing the right thing… Elsa could sense his worry, and she pulled herself closer to kiss his lips softly.

"Everything is ok…" she smiled warmly.

"Oh, I know it is…" he kissed her pale pink lips tenderly, wrapping his strong arms around her shivering frame, holding her close and rolling onto his back. She sighed and listened to his pounding heart. "I just…" She looked up at his confused expression, not liking his angered brow. "I just wish there was more I could give you…"

"…Hans." She sat up and held her hand tightly onto his. "You've given me so much, and more. You've done everything you could've done and you made things right." His eyes lit up as he admired her words, her curves, her exposed body… She blushed as she couldn't hide her pride and happiness, and she wanted to tell him about her surprise to cheer him up. But she knew she needed to wait just a little bit longer. "You taught me so much. Not just how to love spring, but… How to fall in love in the first place. You thawed my heart. To ask anymore of you would be selfish, as long as you're happy and by my side I just know everything from now on will be a wonderful journey." Tears welled up in her sapphires. Hans was overcome, and did his best to withhold his emotions. He sat up with her, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, kissing her deeply and not wanting to ever let her go again. He knew once and for all this is where he truly belonged, that he finally found his true home, in her eyes, in her arms…

"My goddess…" he whispered. He finally felt at peace. "…I love you so." He kissed her deeply once more. She melted in his embrace, and threw her arms around his neck, holding him tightly.

"I love you too… I love my admiral…" she gasped. He pulled her on-top of his lap, once again wrapping her thighs around his hips, and pressed his hands firmly on her lower back. He breathed fire into her lungs as they continued to kiss, a sharp gasp escaping the queen's mouth as he glided himself back inside her temple. We wanted to worship her over and over… Not caring that dawn would be approaching soon and they had no sleep of any kind. Elsa squeezed her weak arms around his freckled shoulders as he began his thrusts once more, her chest tingling against his, tears of pure happiness rolled down her cheeks. Unable to tame their lust, together they sang until dawn. Once the birds began their own happy song, the fire and ice storm came to a peaceful pause, and they fell asleep in bliss.

There was a loud bang at the door, and Elsa immediately sat up, holding the covers close to her chest.

"What? What's going-? …What?" she struggled to focus.

"You overslept again your majesty!" Yelled Gerda. "You're late for the coronation!"

"Coronation!?" she gasped. Hans immediately sprung up from unconsciousness and gasped loudly.

"…Coronation?!" the prince shouted. They had completely forgotten. They stared at each other in fear and began to blush brightly.

"And don't think I have no idea what's going on in there… You were louder than a rooster's crow!" Elsa held her hands up to her mouth. Hans held his head in hands with embarrassment. "Now hurry up and get ready!" Gerda banged the door once more and left quickly, covering up her laughter. The queen sighed loudly as she pulled herself slowly away from her cozy mattress, bright red from a lesson learned. Hans couldn't help but smirk with pride, but, for her majesty's sake, he coughed and wiped away his smile.

"…Well I guess they know I'm here already." He nervously chuckled. Elsa laughed and chucked a pillow at him as she tied up her robe. She wanted to crawl right back under the blankets with him, but a big day was waiting for them. The start of something completely new.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-five

Kristoff pulled awkwardly at his collar. He hated being the center of attention, and being in front of this sizable crowd certainly made him feel out of his element. He sweated in his fancy suit, but it was suitable for a prince, and he was ready to take on any responsibility necessary for his new wife… Hans couldn't help but laugh at his awkward regal stance, but he patted his shoulder gently for reassurance. The blonde mountain man smiled back and took a deep sigh. Hans was used to this pomp and circumstance, he definitely wasn't. But he did wonder how was Hans capable of maintaining his confidence and composure, when he had to wear that ridiculous hat... Hans smiled proudly and stood firm in his heavy navy uniform. Despite the heat, the silly hat, and the exhaustion, he felt completely content. Although, a few more hours of sleep wouldn't hurt… But as the queen's arrival was announced, he felt even better. The bags under his eyes vanished as Elsa entered the hall, wearing a strapless powder blue flowing gown, her long pale blonde braid hanging loosely over her shoulder, and a long deep teal cape slowly floating behind her. She smiled widely as the prince waved eagerly too her, Kristoff shaking all over in fear, and the princess, in her most beautiful yellow flowing dress, bounced with excitement. Elsa's nose wrinkled as she giggled silently, and made her way forward and slowly climbed the steps up to the altar. She didn't remember the last time there was so much happiness in this hall.

The queen cleared her throat, and addressed everyone in attendance, taking special care to honor the several injured soldiers standing before them, thanking them and their families for their sacrifice.

"Today is the day for remembrance of the sacrifices made during the battle that changed all of Arendelle. But from what was lost, we gained so much. We gained the knowledge needed to move forward, we grew strength from rebuilding what was broken. And we cherish what we have already, even more. And today as we remember the past, we welcome in a new era for our kingdom and a new start for a better tomorrow…" her majesty beamed. She looked over to her most trusted advisors, and the two older gentlemen stood forward, one holding a pillow covered in shimmering gold medals. The other, a small gold crown. Elsa picked up several medals with her small bare fingers, and proceeded to step back down the altar to personally thank each man that fought in the name of her family. Tears formed in their eyes as she decorated every lapel with a symbol of courage. And finally, it was Kristoff's turn. All eyes locked onto him as the queen made her way back up the steps and asked for her father's sword. Slowly he bent to one knee, and turning bright red, he looked up at Anna. She waved happily, her grin warm and proud. As the queen gently tapped his shoulders with the royal blade, the new prince grinned nervously up at her majesty, Elsa winking back. And in an instant, with the placement of a crown on his head, Kristoff was a new man. The entire kingdom exploded with celebration as the bells rang. Anna wrapped her small arms around her prince with pride as he took a deep sigh of relief, once the crown started to settle. Hans clapped happily and threw his new friend a congratulatory salute. But as the happy gathering grew quieter, the queen cleared her throat, not ready to dismiss everyone. Not just yet.

"Please, if you may all give me one more moment, I would like to present the last honor, to Prince Hans…" she smiled. The air grew still, and the admiral held his breath, eyes widening. She reached back to the pillow one last time, grasping a silver star shaped medallion, and proceeded to make her way to the blushing red head. "With this, the kingdom of Arendelle thanks you for your actions in the face of danger and for your sacrifices in the name of our safety…" Elsa smiled and blushed back as she lost herself for a brief second as she stared into his eyes, her fingers shaking slightly as she pinned the medal to his thick jacket. Unlike the ones he won before in the war, this time, he felt truly touched and worthy. This was not a victory in a game, a win for a violent battle of hatred and survival; this was a symbol that he had finally achieved something his heart could be proud of. A true act of selflessness, something he had never been able to do before. A small tear managed to escape his eye as he looked out at all the smiling faces, people he thought would never trust him again. But, their minds and hearts were just as open as the day Elsa proved to them all that she was a loving, kind queen, and not to be feared. As her majesty stood beside him, and grasped her hands within his, the kingdom erupted once more into cheers and applause, the rings bellowing through the hall again. This was the start of a brand new and glorious era for their home, and most of all, their family.

Elsa eagerly wrapped her arm around Hans's as they proceeded forward, together, followed closely by Anna walking arm and arm with Kristoff, altogether waving to their people, together beaming with a newfound kind of happiness. They made their way through the crowd, and towards the much smaller, and intimate banquet than the last one that had passed through their castle. And the laid-back air to the occasion made time pass by like a blur. There were too many smiles to share and hands to shake to count, and the tower of chocolates wouldn't eat themselves. It had actually gotten to be exhausting, just standing there and shaking hands, thought Kristoff. So the invitation to dance from Anna was exactly what he needed to unwind. More than happy to forget being a prince for the moment, he grabbed Anna's hand and pulled her eagerly onto the dance floor. Elsa watched as the regal couple danced in bliss, as if they were the only two in the entire room. She sighed sweetly, and hugged her one arm around Hans's bicep, and rested her head softly on his shoulder. His cheeks burned as she snuggled closer, but, as he watched the room, he felt more and more at ease, still surprised at how welcoming everyone was to their union… As each second passed, he allowed his walls to completely fall on all sides, and a smile grew in place of anxiousness. He reached up and squeezed her hand, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. There was no more fear, only love.

"…Would you care to dance, your majesty?" The admiral removed his large hat, and tossed it onto an empty chair.

"Maybe a quick one…" Elsa sighed again, her tired eyes sparkling up into his burning emeralds, still exhausted from their fun morning. Hans winked at his snow queen and proceeded to escort her through the crowd. Everyone, including the boisterous princess, made way for the queen and her admiral to have a dance of their own. The band slowly began to play a slower song, one they knew Elsa loved, and the hall admired the strong new couple. They never had to play behind curtains or force themselves to love in the shadows ever again. Elsa's grand blue cape danced around them as Hans twirled her under his arm, like the ocean's tide pulling in. Their eyes never parting as they effortlessly flew across the floor, Elsa finally having that dance she wished for. It felt like a lifetime had passed since that fateful first week, but every tear and pain was worth it, just for this moment alone. Hans's pride swelled as he held her closer, her arms now wrapping around his tall neck, her cheek pressing against hers. They closed their eyes, and held each other, gently swaying with the music, a few couples now joining them on the floor. Elsa giggled quietly, and kissed his chin, causing more red to flood into his freckled cheeks.

"I still have one more thing to show you…" she whispered into his ear. They smirked at one another, and as the song ended, and a circle began to form for a group dance, they quietly moved through the crowd undisturbed, and snuck their way out of the party. Anna couldn't help but notice, and watched them leave, a wide smile growing from ear to ear.

"Aren't you going to stop them? Don't they need to be here…?" asked Kristoff, both puzzled and surprised by the princess's reaction to their sudden irresponsibility.

"…Nah." Anna sighed. "Elsa is right where she needs to be…"

Hans laughed as Elsa dashed forward through the dark empty corridors, avoiding his playful fingers.

"Where are you taking me..?" he asked, finally able to grasp her slender wrist, and pull her in for a deep hungry kiss. He didn't want to let her go, he was happy finding an empty room right then and there… She laughed as she hesitatingly broke their kiss, and pressed her forehead against his.

"You're just going to have to trust me." She bit her lower lip, and threw her hands into the air, a huge gust of ice and snow billowing around them. As the snow filtered into the night breeze, Hans lost sight of her, and tried to gather his sense of direction. Her footsteps echoed down a stairwell, and her laughter let him down towards the exit… Unable to outrun him, the queen used her knowledge of shortcuts to lead him out the castle doors and out towards the gates, her hair unwinding and whipping around her the faster she tried to run. Panting he quickly caught up, still wondering where she was going, and why on earth they were headed away from the castle grounds, and towards the harbor. There were any other souls in sight, everyone else was at the grand celebration, but the southern prince and the queen made their way down the steps to the dock, panting and trying to catch their breaths. "Cover your eyes." Elsa grabbed his hands once they approached the water, and held them up to his face. He smirked and hesitated.

"What is this all about huh?" Hans asked, slightly worried. The queen trembled with excitement, her smile hurting her face it was so strong.

"I said cover your eyes!" she laughed. He held one hand over both eyes, still smirking, and half-expecting the queen to throw him into the waves below. She grabbed his right hand, and began to pull him forward. "I… I have something I want you to see…" She whispered. "You said something to me, not too long ago, that I'll never forget… About how the ocean was your true home, for your freedom. I don't want you to have to lose that. And you've given up everything for us… For me…" Finally she pulled him to the edge of the dock, and took in a deep breath. "Hans… This is for you. Open your eyes."

Slowly he pulled his hand away, his eyes opened, his smile fading the more his eyesight came into focus. There before him bobbing on the water was one of the most beautiful small ships he had ever seen. It wasn't as grand and huge as the ships he's commanded for his father's navy, but it shone as brightly as the northern star. It was painted a shimmering white and blue, Arendelle's colors flying proudly on the flags, banners, and sails. And he could tell it was a fast little thing too… He fell in love at first sight.

"It's yours…" the snow queen sighed. Watching his shock made her smile even wider. His mouth hung open and his eyes bulged out of his head.

"…This… This… this is… This is mine!?" he stammered. He started to laugh, then gasped, then rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "…How!? How is this possible!?" he shouted. Elsa held her hands up to her mouth as she giggled with glee.

"Anna showed me we had extra left over from the budget and she suggested we rebuild one of the ships left from the battle… It was her idea really. It only needed a few repairs, and a new paint job… But it was the best we could do. Besides, how can we have an Admiral without his own ship?" she blushed. Hans kept turning back and forth from the most amazing gift he'd ever receive in his life; to the most amazing person he's ever met in his life. After giving himself a moment to overcome the shock, he closed his eyes to hold in the tears and threw his arms around his queen. He picked her up and held her in the air, laughing as he spun her in the moonlight.

"This is amazing… YOU are amazing…" he laughed… Setting her down in slow motion, their eyes locking and their lips quickly meeting. As he tasted the incredible goddess and traced his long fingers through her soft hair, a sudden realization washed over his mind and senses. And idea came in and shook him to the core. "I don't deserve this you know…" he sighed. "I don't know how to thank you…" he kissed her cool cheek over and over. Elsa closed her eyes, and sighed back, snuggling herself in his warm arms… Nothing could possibly make this moment any better.

"Of course you deserve this…" she kissed his lips again and stared deeply into his eyes. "And you can thank me by being the best you can be, for your new home…" They kissed deeper still. "…Just promise me one thing…"

"Anything Elsa… Anything…"

"…Promise me you won't stay out at sea for too long, ok? Come home to me…" she sighed. Hans blinked several times, the idea that had popped in now stewing and simmering harder in his mind, and he frowned. He knew EXACTLY what he had to do…

"Elsa. Queen Elsa. My queen. My goddess…" Hans held her hands tightly into his, focusing deeply on her shining sapphires. "From now on, whenever I get on that ship… You need to be by my side. I am never… EVER letting you go again… And, I would love nothing more than for you to come with me, and be more to me than just an escort…" he held his breath, and fell to one knee, still grasping her hands tightly. Elsa's eyes watered and she gasped, starting to feel slightly faint. Nothing prepared her for what was about to be said.

"Elsa…" he paused. "Will you marry me?" The silence surrounding the fjord was their soundtrack, their hearts pounding loudly. Elsa couldn't hold back her emotions, tears now sparkling down her cheeks. This time he really meant it, he wanted more than anything to belong to this woman.

"…Oh, yes…! Hans, yes! I will!" she laughed, throwing herself in his arms. They laughed loudly and cried softly together, spinning in circles.

"Come with me then, let's go together and get married at sea, no one will bother us, and we'll have each other until we need to come back home… We'll go only where our hearts take us, far east, far west, we can have a honeymoon in the Caribbean if we wanted…" he kissed her lips and neck over and over. It didn't take long for the idea to run through her imagination, and immediately come back with an answer.

"Oh Hans… That sounds so perfect…" She pictured them standing together, facing the vast ocean in the sun, having nothing but themselves and their home away from home… Nothing she ever dreamed of before came close to how happy that image made her. "Yes… Yes let's elope; let's do everything you've wanted to do, together… And we'll come back when the time is right…" her dreamy smile made him melt hard, his eyes welling up more and a long sigh existed his mouth. This was heaven on earth. With Elsa letting out a loud cry, they embraced even harder, kissing endlessly, forever etched through time as the moment their lives as one began. Hans released his hold on her only to grip her hand tightly and run forward to their new future. They laughed with excitement as they ran across the platform and onto the deck of the ship. He spun her around for another dance under the stars, the cool sea breeze dancing with Elsa's snow. Her happiness refused to remain contained, and as they danced, more bursts of ice flew into the air like fireworks.

The ringing of the castle bells took Princess Anna by surprise as she sipped her champagne with Kristoff on the upper balcony. A panicked guard ran through the party crowd, holding up an envelope.

"An urgent message for your highness!" the poor man panted, almost falling into a chair once the message was received. Kristoff eagerly looked over her shoulder as she tore into the paper and began reading the note. Anna's eyes began to water.

"What? What is it? Everything ok?" he held his hand on her shoulder.

"They did it. They really did it, just like I hoped… Just like I planned." Anna sighed, wiping away her tears with her fingers, and then turning to warmly hug her new husband.

"Did what?" he shouted. The bells rang louder as Elsa's snow filled fireworks exploded in the velvet summer night sky. Anna let go and ran over to the other side of the balcony facing the fjord. And sure enough, setting sail and heading to the horizon was Hans's new ship. She felt a little sad, watching her big sister go on a new adventure without her… But she knew deep down that this is what they really wanted. This is what Elsa truly deserved.

"They're eloping…" Anna cried happily, squeezing the letter tightly to her heart. Kristoff sighed held his arms around his wife, the new prince smiling with optimism, and a slight concern for their new responsibilities.

"That means we're in charge for a while eh?"

"Oh, I'm certain we can handle it…" Anna's eyes sparkled as she smiled up at him, their cheeks glowing brightly. "I just know everything is going to be absolutely wonderful…" Together they waved to the couple on the water, the kingdom watching the queen and her admiral slowly fading into the darkness. But Hans and Elsa stood together at the helm, looking back at Arendelle, waving their free arms high into the air as they departed, their hands still held tightly in one another's. This wasn't goodbye. They turned and kissed one last time before Elsa's home began to fade away into their past. This was only the beginning of a brand new adventure.


End file.
